Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[goamules]

I agree. Or kind of like paying $300,000 for a small house that 4 years before sold for $150,000. Or buying gold at $1800/oz when 2 months before it was $1490/oz. Or buying .99cent boxes of .22 bullets by the truckload, then reselling them at flea markets for $8 a box. It's speculation, people make prices rise, becasue the want prices to rise.

On every one of these topics, and more, I've read or head the same, misinformed phrase: "The price will always go up!" Yes, even heard this about lenses.

[Jim Galli]

I'll add a different perspective. I got to use the 18" one that Jonathan had, in fact I almost got to buy it. The guy who had it had me and J bidding against each other (offering against each other?) and J offered 200 more bucks than I did. He spent money restoring it, all original Studio shutter, but the original aluminum finish was lost. It was painted flat black and probably needed to stay that color.

So, having used that lens, and having quite a portfolio of using other soft focus lenses I'm going to say less than half of that 14,100 is collector value.

I can't roll with the big boys, but I did have a snipe at $7887 and I'd have had to go to the bank, and sell a bunch of my stuff to pay that off, if it had happened. I pretty much knew it was a pipe dream. But I'll state that amount of money was from someone who wanted to USE the lens for what I knew it was capable of doing.

I don't think the Burke and James barrel hurt it that much. They may have coated it, and that I wouldn't welcome. But for a user, I'll take one in any package I can find one. It's the glass that makes the magic, not the barrel. And, Oh yes Virginia, it is a bright silver bullet.

[evan clarke]

The recent auction was at $29,999.00 !!

[Amedeus]

Great looking 1953 Kodak Portrait Lens 405mm - Soft Focus Lens on Offset 9 x 9 Lens Board for $1,100 (BIN, 161014876255)

Emil Busch 4.5/30cm Nicola Perscheid Portrat lens (triplett) for $1,700 (BIN, 271184434328)

Great looking Voigtlander Braunschweig Universal Heliar 4.5/42cm #2219910 for $2,800 (BOBIN, 160922888057)

Wollensak Verito 8 3/4" f4 in Studio Shutter for $434 (111057613646)

[evan clarke]

I got that Kodak and can't wait to get it..New toy for my 11x14..

[Jim Galli]

I got that Kodak and can't wait to get it..New toy for my 11x14..

Bravo!! Evan. This is the same Evan I sat with in Barnbaum's class, eh? Ha ha.

[Tri Tran]

Emil Busch 4.5/30cm Nicola Perscheid Portrat lens (triplett) for $1,700 (BIN, 271184434328)

I met the seller at my office to check this lens out. It's sure cover the 8x10 and 11x14 at portrait distance. I can buy this lens for much less but I turned it down. Thanks Jim Galli for pointed out this is a triplet .

[evan clarke]

Bravo!! Evan. This is the same Evan I sat with in Barnbaum's class, eh? Ha ha.

Yep!

[Amedeus]

Bausch & Lomb 15" E.F. f/5.6 Plastigmat Portrait Lens for $673 ... (281098415522)

[goamules]

Karl Struss Pictorial lens - internet sale - $5000