Could the glasses be recoated?

[originalphoto]

I saw an auction on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Voigtlander-Universal-Heliar-30cm-f-4-5-Variable-Soft-Focus-lens-for-largeformat-/261149906171?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3ccdbf54fb. The lens barrel was quite ugly which was worst condition (barrel) for this lens I ever saw. Amazingly, the glass is almost perfect. My question is if the glass was recoated.

[domaz]

FocalPoint in Colorado can recoat lenses. The price is very high for this service, however. Considering it's only a small mark and that it's a soft focus lenses I doubt it would really be worth it to recoat.

[Sevo]

It is possible, but highly unlikely - polishing and re-painting the barrel would cost a fraction and increase the lens value more than a expensive recoating. Having all the lens recoated will (at around 50€ each for ten lens surfaces, plus dis- and reassembly) exceed the expected sales value of the lens in its current state.

The lens does not look corroded, but more like covered in goo - my guess is that it was on a display piece camera for decades, with the barrel getting the furniture polish treatment once a week, while the glass was protected by a filter or cap.

[Vaughn]

Perhaps the OP is asking if at some time in the past the glass was recoated?

[Steven Tribe]

Oh, this is from Thailand and so I think we know who the lister must be - and there was an explanation on LFPF some months ago!!

[Sevo]

I don't think so - IIRC, Tim posted photographs of considerable glass damage which he'll hardly have been able to restore to this condition, even less so operating out of Thailand. Besides, this seller is located in Phetchaburi, some 200km off Bangkok.

[Steven Tribe]

So perhaps this is the lens that Tim didn't find on his travels?
But Tim's early comments about condition of the items he did find are very relevant for this one.

[Neal Chaves]

The Lens says "Made in West Germany" so it is of post-war manufacture and was probably factory-coated.