Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[Stephane]

I asked him and he said he changed his mind and decided to keep it. He said he is a photographer. Well, at least that's what he said and that's what I want to believe (so I can sleep the rest of the week). Every one hopes where real high! OhOhOh!

[Stephane]

It was not really broken, though... Cleaning marks... I mean seriously. 30mn of patience and here it is (almost) as new. It was almost a dream come true...

[CCHarrison]

I have just posted an update of my page on Soft Focus Lens Sales.

On the table, all those marked 4th quarter 2010 are new entries.

During this last update period, a few Dallmeyer's sold for WELL above market, not sure why, but they did.

see http://www.antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenssales.html


Dan

[goamules]

Dan, I appreciate your work tracking these.

But people should know that you are showing just a portion of the sales, that you have picked, and that auction prices are variable and can't be used exclusively to gauge prices. For example, several Dallmeyers didn't sell, even though they were below "market" price.

I also don't agree with your assertion on the page that "Wollensak lenses, for example, frequently sell for perhaps more than they should as they are relatively plentiful..." Supply and demand does set the price. Wollensaks sell for what the market will bear, with 2 or 5 coming up each month. I would say an F3.8, 16 inch Vitax petzval with soft focus selling for, say $900, is a bargain, not overpriced. Supply and demand hits Dallmeyers also. Wollensak made their lenses (Veritos let's say) for perhaps 30 years. The Dallmeyer "soft focus" petzvals were made from the late 1860s til the 1920s. They also have 2 to 5 come up each month. They are relatively more plentiful, but demand makes the price go higher.

Now I agree the demand factor for the esoteric, uncommon soft focus lenses like the Kalostat or Puyo is low, maybe just a handful of people worldwide know them and are searching for them, and they sometimes sell low. But we can easily change demand, if a few people start talking up a particular type of lens. A few posts, some pictures displayed, and the hype becomes viral. Like Gold rim Dagors were a few years ago, or others.

Again, I sure appreciate your great website, and all the valuable information on many, many types of photography equipment.

[CCHarrison]

My page is not a scientifically based, all-inclusive price guide, nor does it claim to be. It includes the Soft Focus Lens sales I find on ebay by looking through current and completed auctions, as much as I can reasonably locate. I only list what sells. It aint perfect, but nobody else is providing anyone this data - and I think its very useful data to boot.

Thanks
Dan

PS - I think my comments about Wollensak lenses are accurate as quoted below:

" I also sense new users to the market tend to over pay as they are unaware of the true scarcity of a given lens. Wollensak lenses, for example, frequently sell for perhaps more than they should - they are almost all relatively plentiful, especially compared to the much more esoteric lenses like the Kalosat, Struss and any of the Pinkham & Smith lenses."

but everyone has their own opinion...

[Jim Galli]

Dan, Thanks for your most helpful efforts. Ebay is a constant source of entertainment A fellow LFForum participant was asking about my Kodak 16" Portrait meniscus and I quoted him $950 which seemed a little high when we looked at your site. Funny that the Kodak's have sort of stagnated as I'd paid $750 for it 4 or 5 years ago.

One that I'd like to see tracked and quantified is the Voigtlaender Heliar but perhaps that would be a chore as there are so many that come and go. Maybe just size 210 and up would be worthwhile.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Anyone watching the PinkhamSmith battle on ebay right now?

[Jim Galli]

Anyone watching the PinkhamSmith battle on ebay right now?

Not really a battle, just a single bidder bidding against the reserve

[CCHarrison]

the last one on ebay got $ 4550....wonder where this will go..

Dan

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

$3.250 for a 12" STRUSS Pictorial (with damaged aperture), 250721594136