Advice on DE VERE 54a VARICON enlarger

[Crown-LF]

Could anyone tell me anymore about this enlarger? Unfortunately all 504 enlargers around me are far too expensive, at £800+ and I found a De Vera 54 going for a lot less.

Is this an alright large format enlarger? Any help is appreciated as I can't really find out much information on it.

These are the specifications of the listing:
Maximum negative size: 5×4″
Light source: Condenser
Lamp power: 150W
Head type: Black and white
Interchangeable heads: No
Filter drawer: Yes
Wall enlargements: No
Floor enlargements: No

Includes

Lamp
Negative carrier
1 pair of negative carrier inserts
Lens panel


Is there anything else not included that I would need to purchase?

[Tin Can]

Hard to say online

We are not allowed to guess value or price

They are rare, most can be made to work if you are handy

I bought many enlargers around 2010 when everybody was throwing them OUT!

Now some want them...

[Tin Can]

Also find my recent posts

I am restoring a 504

[Crown-LF]

Hard to say online

We are not allowed to guess value or price

They are rare, most can be made to work if you are handy

I bought many enlargers around 2010 when everybody was throwing them OUT!

Now some want them...


I don't want anyone to guess value, I'm wondering if it's a decent enlarger as I cannot find much about it online.

When you say 'most can be made to work if you are handy' could you elaborate a little?

[Tin Can]

I'd say buy it

IF the controls work. meaning does the mechanical bits go up and down smoothly

The head aka lamp I consider as second part and they wear more

If you buy, get everything in Darkroom as you Will need them

Here is my thread on a new version, I bought mine in bits, bit by bit

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?170993-Largers-1-in-1-Out&p=1662726&viewfull=1#post1662726








I don't want anyone to guess value, I'm wondering if it's a decent enlarger as I cannot find much about it online.

When you say 'most can be made to work if you are handy' could you elaborate a little?

[Tin Can]

Did you read all this?

https://www.google.com/search?q=DE+VERE+54a&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS850US850&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Tin Can]

LOL

Over at LEICA team they never heard of a water condenser or lens

They are BIG right now

Now I want one!

Very cool

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/275454-de-vere-54-info-needed/

[interneg]

It's really a 1/2 plate enlarger that was sold with a 5x4 condenser head to bring it under a purchase tax threshold (for whatever reason 1/2 plate was decreed as the smallest 'professional' format & 5x4 wasn't). Not as sophisticated in controls (no front of baseboard head height & focus controls - push lever to raise/ lower counterweighted head & conventional focus wheel), design or finish as the 504, but simple & pretty solid - and widespread enough for Ilford to make an MG500 adapter kit in the 1980s. Lensboards and neg carrier/ carrier inserts aren't complicated - and the bellows are not a big deal to replace if you need to. Easy to fit a suitable LED panel - the head essentially sits in/ on a pretty unobstructed flat surface (going by recall from having had a good look inside a 54 a couple of years ago). Many were institutional/ military/ public sector surplus in origin.