Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[online]

There are often 30-40% or more reductions on BIN auctions.

[Steven Tribe]

Things still sell on auctions as opposed to BIN!

An elite lister sold a Koristka Small ARS - with a 6" lens for 4x5 + coverage - for 1159 usd. At least 7 bidders. 272764818492.

Plenty about this elusive series of ARs's here. Emil Schildt has a couple, at least.

And sometimes, a successful sale attracts other items!

The spelling of Koristka is often incorrect, by the way.

[Emil Schildt]

Things still sell on auctions as opposed to BIN!

An elite lister sold a Koristka Small ARS - with a 6" lens for 4x5 + coverage - for 1159 usd. At least 7 bidders. 272764818492.

Plenty about this elusive series of ARs's here. Emil Schildt has a couple, at least.

And sometimes, a successful sale attracts other items!

The spelling of Koristka is often incorrect, by the way.

never owned an ARS... always wanted, but...

[Steven Tribe]

Didn't you have the use of one - or Am I getting it mixed up with the Plasticca clones?

[Mark Sawyer]

Didn't you have the use of one - or Am I getting it mixed up with the Plasticca clones?

You may be thinking of the Kronar/Kronarette?

[Emil Schildt]

You may be thinking of the Kronar/Kronarette?

bingo - I have both the plasticca - the Kronar and the Kronarette..

[Steven Tribe]

Another Koristka small ARS (as hinted at a few days ago). Fitted with the longer 210mm lens. BIN 253060319455. 1,316 usd. Very nice condition with original advert.

[massimodec]

I did, in fact, make the first bid on the Hermagis I mentioned. There were just 2 days left and just hours later a bidding war started between two with the starting price tripling in just a day. They both lost to a third sniper at the end.

I don't think this can be considered to be interferring with market forces, although I had no intention of following my bid up. I had previous correspondence with the lister(s) and they were very helpful (As Mr. T would say "nice, nice people"), but there was no collusion.

True. One kind of my sad experiences are those "normal auction" lenses, that are withdraw by the seller, since someone convinced him/her to accept an offer out of the auction.
Several times, I have seen lenses on which I was seriously intentioned to spend some money on, disappear out of a sudden, while a I was waiting to bid.

Other aspect is that several lenses rocket their prices too high, due to the easy spreading of information through the Internet... so the demand-offer ratio is enhancing the offer, and some prices are "inflated"

I see for example, many Universal Heliars on sale at too high prices (IMO) that stay there, unsold for years.

[Amedeus]

Some lens sales I've been keeping track off, some of them are a few months old but I don't believe they have been reported here.

DEROGY objectif de Pulligny soft focus f8 300mm brass for $885 (BIN, 222521450992)

Brass Dallmeyer Bergheim No.2 Soft Focus for $2,595 (BIN, 192205372306) ... I hesitated on this one and then it was gone ...

Not part of this thread but I'm tracking this one nevertheless ... Cooke Portrait Lens PS945 229 mm f/4.5 for 4x5 for $3,500 (172731147149)

18 Inch Wollensak Verito Diffused Focus for $799 (132242518219)

WOLLENSAK VERITO 8¾in F4 for $300 (BIN, 182644066984)

Taylor Hobson Cooke Series II Brass Portrait Lens 14 1/2" f4.5 for $2,100 (322579786324)

Vintage Wollensak #5 Brass Vitax Portrait Lens F-3 No. 4888 for $1,267 (382152674809)

[jp]

Vintage Wollensak #5 Brass Vitax Portrait Lens F-3 No. 4888 for $1,267 (382152674809)

This appears to have a universal iris clamp on it, which sweetens the value a bit for whoever got it.