Who is paying these prices?

[civich]

For economists, as with other folks, conviction is inversely proportional to proximity.

[Sevo]

I'm aware of few people who might be able to drive prices. One is Klaus Schmitt. I'm convinced, with no data to support the belief, that his site macrolenses.de stimulates demand for lenses mentioned on it. If so, I salute him. Jim Galli might be able to interest people in his soft focus lenses. If so, I salute him too. At one time Andrew Glover stoked a small crazy for Pro Raptars; I salute him too.

Publicity about a collectible will increase its price, and the above are highly public and respected, and have started fads for particular lens types. However, what we see here (and could observe several times in the past few weeks) is the price of one solitary sale rising to bizarre heights, several times above the market value before and after. The recent high price sales did not introduce a permanent rise in value - since the outrageously expensive Xenotar went over ebay a few weeks ago, quite a few have already changed hands for the regular going rate, and the usual dealers are well stocked, at prices that are much closer to the average than to that singular auction.

That is no fashion creating a run on a suddenly rare item - there must be something different going on.

Sevo

[Tom Conway]

For those in the know, I have a few tulip bulbs for sale. Payment is accepted only in Confederate specie!

[goamules]

That is no fashion creating a run on a suddenly rare item - there must be something different going on.

Sevo

I'm beginning to agree. When I see a medium-collectible lens category (I'll not even name one) go for $145, $160, $120, $1259, $180....something wacked is going on with the second to last sale. Mainly, it wasn't something I was selling!

[Jim Galli]

Kookie! Now what have I got around here that says Zeiss on it. The upper end before the final 2 crazy's sniped was beyond any value. It had gotten to $688 in regular bidding before the snipers. If that guy had emailed me and asked how much to sell that lens for on the forum here, I'd have said $265 bucks.

[Martin Miksch]

This was a russian seller and nobody here knows the real intention behind this deal.^^
Regards
Martin

[Jim Galli]

This was a russian seller and nobody here knows the real intention behind this deal.^^
Regards
Martin

I love a good conspiracy theory. You buy my $200 lens for $1100 and you get the 2 slave girls for a week?

[Jay Decker]

I am one of the guys exerting upward price pressure on Garrett's "medium-collectible" lenses, e.g., Eidoscope, Verito, Velostigmat Series II, and Petzval lenses. I also agree that the sale prices in these auctions are so out of line with the market that I too would suspect that something nefarious is going on...

[Tri Tran]

My guess is buyers are usually from oversea . On top of that our $ drops significantly.My Crystal ball said hang on to your lenses and price will continue to raise at least 30% especially all the Brass and Soft Focus Portrait lens, Landscape lens with huge coverage also is high demand items now unless you need $ to pay your taxes.

[Hugo Zhang]

I did a quick search on completed sales of protar v on ebay and there was this 182mm lens had no bid at $199 merely a few day earlier sold over $800 a few hours after this one. Some smart people and fools here.