When to Sell Lenses

[Steven Tribe]

"you have said it was similar to a cooke SF lens. one small problem is that a cooke SF knuckler lens that is 10 inch f3.5 is worth lens than $1000"

That's not what recent statistics about 10.5" series II sales say, Eddie. You can find a few that went under that figure - but I am sure there was a good reason. The Cooke series IIa F3.5 (which is the comparable lens to Tim's) is much rarer (only one on the list), went for quite a lot over $1,000 and I don't think there are any coated Cooke series IIa's. The F3.5 cost 55% more than the F4.5 Cooke when they on sale here new long, long ago.

[Brassai]

After some more digging, it's starting to look like these sorts of lenses sell for about the same price most times of the year and values have been fairly steady over the four years. February is still the weakest time to sell them, I think. All of mine are in that 4-8 inch slot, limiting the format they can be used on. It looks like when you start talking about lenses for 8x10 that prices begin to shoot up! I also looked at sliding box cameras and early cameras with bellows. I'd like to get one and have a few custom holders made for 4x5 film. The price of the cameras seem to start around $2,000 though! I guess considering that new Nikon lenses cost about that now, maybe $2k isn't so much any more.

[goamules]

You can get into LF quite a bit more cheaply. I was just at a Flea Market and there was an ANSCO 5x7, with a 4x5 back, Commercial Ektar and a dozen holders, and a wooden crank tripod. I passed on it for $300.

[eddie]

"you have said it was similar to a cooke SF lens. one small problem is that a cooke SF knuckler lens that is 10 inch f3.5 is worth lens than $1000"

That's not what recent statistics about 10.5" series II sales say, Eddie. You can find a few that went under that figure - but I am sure there was a good reason. The Cooke series IIa F3.5 (which is the comparable lens to Tim's) is much rarer (only one on the list), went for quite a lot over $1,000 and I don't think there are any coated Cooke series IIa's. The F3.5 cost 55% more than the F4.5 Cooke when they on sale here new long, long ago.

uuummm? define quite alot over $1k? 1200? 1500? just saying.

so, what is your theory why the "dallmeyer copy of the cooke" has not sold for the asking price?.....or the lowered price? i gave you my opinion......

[Tim Meisburger]

Thanks Eddie (I do have a 3B, but that is not for sale), but how do I know the price. I could put it on ebay, but as you rightly point out no one has ever heard of it, so it could sell for considerably less than its value to me. Some have mentioned I need to demonstrate its capabilities, and now that I have a big studio camera with a honking big packard on it I might be able to do that (when I get my new bellows). I admit it, I suck at selling. I'm only good at buying, and then only when my wife lets me...

Brassai, as long as your lens has rack and pinion focusing, a sliding box camera would be an easy option. I was thinking of making one in mahogany before I got involved in all this selling and buying (I'm also selling two cameras, but have not listed them here yet as I am trying to sell locally), and guess I will eventually return to that project. Otherwise, you can pick up a 4x5 for as little as $100 bucks on ebay, a good monorail from $300 to $500 and a good wooden field camera for between $500 and $900.

[Brassai]

Brassai, as long as your lens has rack and pinion focusing, a sliding box camera would be an easy option. I was thinking of making one in mahogany before I got involved in all this selling and buying (I'm also selling two cameras, but have not listed them here yet as I am trying to sell locally), and guess I will eventually return to that project. Otherwise, you can pick up a 4x5 for as little as $100 bucks on ebay, a good monorail from $300 to $500 and a good wooden field camera for between $500 and $900.

I've been shooting 4x5 for about 15 years now. My first was a cambo NX45, then a Shen Hao, now a Chamonix 045n. I also shoot 4x5 sheets in a Watson & Son half plate tailboard. Hmmm. Come to think of it, I'm only using the Chamonix any more. I should probably sell the the other three cameras too! With the money out of things I'm not using I could buy a nice sliding box camera.

[Tim Meisburger]

Okay. Longer than me! Sorry about that, I must have misunderstood...

[dap]

As Eddie has said - if you want to find out what the lens is worth put it on ebay as an international auction. If you can't stomach a potential loss slap it up there as a BIN w/ best offer option (this will save you from a disaster, but you might have to wait a long time for it to sell and you will lose out on any potential suprise bidding war).

As far as selling on this forum is concerned, you are better off setting your price from the get go at your rock bottom. I've sold some stuff on here and have noticed that your best chance of selling is right out of the gate - if you start high and chip away at the price over time people lose interest. The members here are pretty savvy - they will wait for a solid value ( if you offer one it will move). If it doesn't move it is either because your item isn't as desirable as you thought or your price is way off.

If you think, in retrospect, that you overpaid...keep it or just suck it up and take a loss and move on (I myself always make it a point to buy high and sell low .)

[Drew Bedo]

When it comes to these older items, I feel that we should not look at ourselves as "owners" but rather as care takers, or stewards who areonly holding them for the next generation. While wood and leather are fragile, glass and brass can last as long as the pyramids.
I have a Kodak 2D that I use, but it has no front movement (except rise-fall.) There is a great looking 2D on the 'Bay right now with extras and accessories etc. It has been beautifully refinished and converted to full movements. So now it is a good looking user (and I do wish I could buy it) . . .but it is no longer an as-made Eastman View #2-D. I refuse to have the front standard on “my” camera nodified for this reason.
We are curators.
Drew Bedo
www.quietlightphoto.com

[Michael Graves]

...but really how many gift buyers would venture into something so specialized? ...

Depends on the buyer. My wife really doesn't know vintage gear as well as I do. But last Christmas, she found a mint Nikon F Photomic with a 135mm Nikkor lens. They'll do it if they have a bit of self-confidence. I can't see my daughter trying that though. Although I could be surprised.