Biggest "steal" you ever made...

[rcdurston]

I used to work at a camera store. There was a box of old parts sitting beside one of the salesmen's desk. I asked him if it was up for grabs and he said "no" but if you want the stuff, its $300 for the whole box.
I thumbed my way through it all, lots of old Arca Swiss basic stuff, and offered him my $300. When I took it all home, I sorted it and dusted it all off and found that there was a complete 6x9, 4x5, and 5x7 systems. As well there was an 8x10 but it was missing a bellows and a standard. I bought a new one on my next pay day and sold most of it over the next six months. I honestly can't remember how much I made but it was back in the mid 90's when there was still a thriving commercial market for them.

[Jody_S]

Ross C-de-V Petzval, approx. 7" f3.3, 1870s with mint glass. Fleabay, with shipping: $40. Last year.

[k.hendrik]

An ERKO 9x12 from 1924 in mint quality at a local flee shop: owner didn't know how to open this beauty. Before I did he made me an offer: E 25,00 !! including the original brass tripod & 4 glass/film holders Last offer I've got was $350,00. No way; this lady stays with me.

[winterclock]

Spot the Dallmeyer:
http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/160848194569?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

[retnull]

3 years ago on Craigslist in NYC, I got a Summicron 35/2 version 1, 8 elements, with goggles, in truly mint condition in original box, for....$200. I asked the seller if he was sure about the price. He said he'd done his research, and while the lens usually goes for a little more, he thought $200 was fair. He also offered me an old Elmar 50/3.5 for $350, which implied he had done some sort of price checking.
Perhaps the seller confused Summicron with Summaron or Summitar when he did his research...

[Fourtoes]

Jamin - Darlot Cone lens 8" for $90....... bought it and ran. Gumtree.

[bob carnie]

The gift that keeps on giving.. printing my 8x10 negs on it today for a show in Mass and Calgary.. I actually think that this machine was slated for me.. I watched it come into BGM imaging back in the 80's , and the owners decided to give it to me rather than sell it. I appreciate their generosity every tiime I make a print.

Yep, Robbie, you win! However, Bob Carnie wrote yesterday that he got a vertical 11x14 DeVere enlarger for free, that's pretty good too!

[emh]

I've been lucky a few times.
Bought a Jobo CPP2 from a friend who was moving his studio (and going digital) for $200, with assorted drums, etc. About a month later, his studio partner offered me his ATL-2 for $200. It came with 3 3000 series drums, and lots of other stuff (alas, it's motor died last month, and I sold the CPP2...)
A Rolleiflex 3.5f, for free. I told the owner it was worth a good bit, but she was my mother's best friend, and said she'd rather I got it, and used it.
An LPL 4550XL, with the Heiland Splitgrade, 16x20 print washer, paper safes, trays, and other stuff, for free from a friend of my father. He also said he'd rather I have it, and used it, than sell it, even though he knew what he could get for it.
A Kodak Retina IIIc, with 3 lenses, filters, etc, from an Uncle.
An Omega 5x7 enlarger, lenses, cones, carriers, with an Arista cold light head, free from another friend getting out of darkroom work.

[alexn]

I bought a full darkroom full of gear a few weeks back for $400 AUD...

4x5 enlarger, light box, 8x10 dev trays, 10 boxes of ilford paper, a few boxes of expired film, CPE2, drums, reels, etc etc etc... heaps of chems for BW and prints...

[IanG]

It's got to be the mint 203mm f7.7 Ektar in a Prontor SVS shutter that came in a bunch of three shutters for £20 ($31) so appox £6.67, and secomd was a £20 Petzval.

Ian