Wayne attends his first auction in search of LF camera equipment

[venchka]

RE: Two other threads about a large studio camera in For Sale and Cameras.

OK, so I drove 3 hours to the auction. Here's what I saw:

Most of the Century Studio Master. I say most because the back was missing. There was a Packard shutter up front behind the big brass lens. However, the Packard was rather small and didn't open far enough for the O.D. of the rear element of the lens. Quite a bit was cut off. The red bellows appeared fine and probably a lot newer than the camera itself. The camera sat on a homemade wooden leveling contraption. The focus, tilt and swing geared movements all seemed to work. The missing crossbrace from the stand was there. This stand used a coil spring around the horizontal rod for raising/ lowering the camera platform. There were no counterweights in the columns.

The big brass lens on the camera seems to be one that I can't find any mention of in GOOGLE searches. Here's what it said on the black ring holding the front element:

Taylor-Hobson Cooke Portrait Lens 12 1/2inch Series I. f/3.1 No. 108093

Those are the exact words from the lens. This was not a Series II nor was it an f/3.5. Min. f-stop: f/16. The lens had a short, integral hood and engraved on the barrel behind the hood was either "Push for maximum sharpnrss" or "Pull for maximum softness." Can't remember which and I didn't write down. Either way, you pushed-pulled on the front of the barrell to change the amount of soft focus. The brass was in good shape. The lens board had a hefty spacer to keep the rear element in front of the Packard shutter. The glass looked decent but there was the beginnings of a couple fungus spots around the edges. The aperture worked fine.

So much for what was on the display floor. Now for the "there are 3 boxes full of stuff in the back that comes with the camera."

At first glance, 3 boxes of parts. Upon closer inspection, 3 boxes of cobbled up bits & pieces and trash. The condition of the items in the boxes was deplorable. My guess: This stuff had been in someone's attic or garage for a very long time. Here's what I remember:

Most of the parts of a Kodak Home Portrait 3a and even fewer parts of a similar sized but unmarked camera. The bellows on the Home Portrait 3a were intact but probably not useable. The paper bellows on the other camera were disintegrating before my eyes. Neither had LF functioning backs.

Lenses: Kodak 10" Commercial Ektar in a No. 4 Acme shutter. Serial number dated RT. I didn't write down the numbers. I seem to recall they were either 2 digits starting with 7 or 3 digits starting with 17. The shutter worked and I'm sure Carol Miller could make it right. The lens itself was growing enough fungus to make a salad.

Pinkham-Smith Bi-Quality 12" f/4.5 made in Lexington, MA. One of the iris blades was hanging loose and the iris would not close. Fungus condition the same or worse than the Ektar.

A bulk 120 back of some sort and an Omega cold light for a D series enlarger.

Long story short: The items sold to a phone bidder for $500. That was more than I wanted to bid. I hope the buyer has the space, tools, extra parts and expertise to deal with rebuilding cameras. If the Kodak and Pinkham-Smith lenses turn up on ebay: BUYER BEWARE! They may clean up just fine. The only way to know for sure would be to see samples from taken with the lenses.

My first auction experience was interesting, educational and entertainING. It may have also been my last.

I hope this wasn't too boring.

[Scott Davis]

Don't be deterred by having to sift through some junk to try and find good pieces. For every Jim Galli "look at what I found" story of some cosmetically perfect 1860's Petzval that covers 20x24 that he found for $10, there's thirty lots that got bid on and went way beond the budget, and another fifty that had nothing at all worth bidding on. That's the nature of country auctions - an awful lot of crap with a few hidden gems. And it's the gems that keep you coming back to wade through the crap time and time again.

[venchka]

Scott,

Agreed. Unfortunately I was somewhat budget constrained in addition to being very knowledge constrained.

[Scott Davis]

Only way to learn is to go, look, see, touch, smell, and tinker with all that stuff. Bring a notepad and write down everything you can about it, then research it when you get home. Better yet, if you have a phone that can browse the web, or a laptop with wireless, look it up while you're at the show/auction. If you want to get in to LF on a budget, start with KEH. If you're specifically looking for a studio portrait camera on a stand like that, eBay is the best bet. But don't give up on live auctions - scan the local newspapers in your area for estate sales and going-out-of-business sales. They're great ways to find and pick up things on the super cheap.

[Ash]

That's a pity Wayne, you could have made your money back on the lens and camera for parts I bet.

Don't give up. There's something out there waiting for you

[Pete Roody]

If you have the time to go to these auctions, you might find a great bargain, or you might sift through a bunch of junk. These private auctions often contain gems. For instance, the Pinkham Smith lens you mentioned would be worth at least $2,000 in clean condition. Most of us just watch the sales on these lenses and never get a chance to use one. Finding one at a private auction for a reasonable price is possible.

Everyone watches ebay and few bargains are to be had there. There is so much competition on sought after items (like the pinkham lens) that you have to put up real money to buy it. At a private auction, you may be bidding against a few dealers but they are usually looking to pay pennies on the dollar so you don't have to bid too high to shut them up.

I wish I had the time and schedule to attend these auctions. Sounds like fun.

[Patrik Roseen]

... For instance, the Pinkham Smith lens you mentioned would be worth at least $2,000 in clean condition. ...

Ouch that must hurt! ... probably not the thing one wants to hear after returning home empty handed. Ooohhh!

[venchka]

Unless there is a Miracle De-Fungus Fix out there AND a Quick & Dirty aperture blade fix, that Pinkam-Smith lens isn't worth squat. In my opinion.

I may go to more auctions but I won't drive 3 hours each way at today's fuel prices for a pig in a poke.

[Pete Roody]

Unless there is a Miracle De-Fungus Fix out there AND a Quick & Dirty aperture blade fix, that Pinkam-Smith lens isn't worth squat. In my opinion.

I may go to more auctions but I won't drive 3 hours each way at today's fuel prices for a pig in a poke.

You had the advantage of knowing the condition of the lenses and that saved you money since the lens had issues. What if the lens was in good condition? Would the guy on the phone have bid that much higher having not seen the lens? I bet not. By being there, you had a chance to own the lens for 1/2 of market value. That would not happen on ebay.

At a recent auction held in new york state, a 750mm dagor was purchased for $200 and sold the next week on ebay for $3,500. i wish i was at the auction.

That said, it is better to spend your time taking and making pictures than hunting equipment. I should follow this advice more often.

[venchka]

...
That said, it is better to spend your time taking and making pictures than hunting equipment. I should follow this advice more often.

There you go!