Fatif 8x10: How to value it (and other less available items)

[mrpengun]

Hi Everyone, I realize that this is a bit round about, and could be seen as circumventing rules (which is not my intention), but there is a serious question here tat I imagine a lot of us could be interested in:

Basically, How do you value something that you cannot find any market information about? For example, I have a camera that I will likely be trying to sell in the coming days, but I can't find any listings of it in any market place anywhere, so I have no idea how to value it (I've had this problem with other things as well)? In my case (Fatif 8x10 monorail), I know it is a nice piece of hardware, but there is so much fluctuation with brands/styles/types of similar cameras, that I feel a little lost. Any ideas or suggestions for such problems would be greatly appreciated! :-)

<EDIT> So, I searched the FS forum, but came up with nothing... yet, the "similar" forum links below the thread have LOADS of information. So, Thanks internet, I have my answer :-P The general point still has value (no pun intended) I think. I guess we will see if other people comment and agree :-P

[goamules]

If your item is uncommon, you have to figure out a "comparable" camera. Then deduct from what those comps sell for, because people won't recognize the unknown brand. I don't know this brand.

For example, many people know what a Kodak 2D or Korona 8x10 look like and go for. Is your camera as solid as those? Does it have as many movements? Is the fit and finish as good? If so, then I'd start there, and deduct about 20% because it's unknown. People will worry if the tripod screw hole and back accept standard tripods/holders.

If it's nicer than a 2D (not hard to do), with fancy wood, well made knobs and gears, you could try to sell it a little higher.

In truth, the market will determine the price. We all see $10,000 Century studio cameras and $5,000 12" Heliars that sit, unsold, for years. If you go too high, the market will ignore your item. If you go too low, you may later feel you could have made more. But what's important to you? An extra $100 could require an extra 6 months of trying to sell it.

Keep in mind "rare" means very little with today's "follow the leader" buyers (Not saying your camera is). I'd rather have "cult favorite" than "rare" if I was selling, any day.

[Dan Fromm]

Fatif cameras are (possibly no longer) made in Italy. They are little-known in the US, don't sell for tons of money here. Here http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?15290-8x10-Fatif-Report is one report with price on this forum.

Look on ebay.it. There's even a 4x5er on ebay.com. I'm surprised you didn't look there. I'm surprised you didn't look more broadly here. I don't know whether you know it, but the local FS forum is a little smaller than eBay.

[Bob Salomon]

Check camera stores in the LA area as Pan Pacific used to sell them when Pan Pacific was still in business. So there should be a few around in the LA basin.