A clutch of dirty Antique Shop Lenses - what are they?

[eddie]

Eddie, that would keep us in beer a long time (or maybe not). I may sell it, but probably not before Christmas, when I am back in the US on holiday. Or I may never sell it, as the images from it look quite sweet. But if I keep it, I'll have to buy a decent 5x7 or 8x10.

Do you think I should polish it? Most of them I see are quite shiny. From the state of this one, I guess it is missing its varnish already (which looks present on the ends).

i work as an auto body repair man. i polish stuff all day long. NO WAY am i polishing anything after hours!

AND i prefer the lenses in their original found state. i like em looking old. many people polish them. a member and i have an ongoing conversation about this exact topic......he continues to point out that the shiny ones get more at auction (from our unscientific observations that is).

call me when you are stateside.

[Tim Meisburger]

I seem to have no reverence for old. I feel like the craftsman who made the lens (or the camera or the house, etc) would want it to look nice, and we honor his workmanship when we care for his product. But then sometimes I feel like we should just burn down that old house, or shoot them old film holders with a shotgun, cause if we don't, modern carpenters and film holder makers won't have a job (I used to work as a carpenter and really hated remodeling ancient houses. nothing worse than pulling down an old plaster ceiling and sucking up 100 years of black dust).

But I agree, I have no desire to polish a lens... I'd rather shoot it.

On another issue, I am surprised no one has commented on the flash lamp, especially after the heated discussion we had on the danger of flash powder. Have you ever seen one like it before?

[Tim Meisburger]

Hmm.. I just wrote a For Sale ad for the Dallmeyer 3b, for $1700 (the price based on the recent one sold on ebay). That's a lot of money, and I shoot 4x5, and I need a new camera, and I'm going to Europe (Milan) next weekend on a family holiday so I could post it from there. It just makes sense, but after I wrote it I couldn't post it. I was worried someone would actually buy it. Damn...

[Mark Sawyer]

The Dallmeyer will hold its value. Use it for a while, then decide...

[eddie]

Hmm.. I just wrote a For Sale ad for the Dallmeyer 3b, for $1700 (the price based on the recent one sold on ebay). That's a lot of money, and I shoot 4x5, and I need a new camera, and I'm going to Europe (Milan) next weekend on a family holiday so I could post it from there. It just makes sense, but after I wrote it I couldn't post it. I was worried someone would actually buy it. Damn...

Maybe try 2350$. That should make u feel better!

[Tim Meisburger]

Yes, that would make me feel better!

Maybe I'll sell the flash lamp instead...