Approx. value of early Schneider-lenses

[decay0815]

Hi!

This is my very first post, so please bear with me in case my question is not appropriate.

I have found three lenses on an old studio folding plate camera, and I would like to know what they are worth (approximately). I had a look on some stores and ebay, but did not find a single matching model.

The lenses are all made by Schneider-Kreuznach and have a Compur shutter. (I can send a small (blurred) video via PM in case you would like to have a look at it)
The text on the front of the three lenses read as follows:
- Angulon 1:5,6 16,5cm(18cm?) Nr. 105xxx
- Doppel-Anastigmat Symmar 1:6,0/24cm
- Doppel-Anastigmat Symmar 1:5,6/30cm (1:6,8?)

From these details (serial# and names) I could guess an approximate fabrication date between 1925-1930. I am not 100% sure with some aperture and focal length values.

The lenses seemed to be clean but had a few tiny marks. Shutters were working, aperture blades seem okay. Did not see any fungus and simple tests with a white sheet of paper showed no major visible flaws in the projection quality. (Anything else I missed?)

I would buy these lenses for collodion photography (extremely long exposure times), but I don't know how much they are worth.

Any ideas? Help is very much appreciated

[decay0815]

Nobody knows? Wrong forum? Wrong thread?

[E. von Hoegh]

See what they are selling for on feebay. The two Symmars are Dagor clones.

[Paul Ewins]

The Symmars should both be f6.8 lenses, the Angulon should also be f6.8. You are missing at least one digit from the Angulon serial number, the first ones were built at around serial 290,000. Precise value is hard to say, but if they went on eBay I wouldn't expect the Symmars to go for more than $400 and might be as low as $200. They are more in the collectible realm although they do have a large image circle. The Angulon would be a similar value - I bought one a few months back for $225 but that was probably on the low side.

[ic-racer]

Nobody knows?

I know, they are not worth anything to me.

[decay0815]

Paul, many thanks for your estimates! I searched those at ebay but did not find any, this is why I asked here. I actually want a really old camera for my experiments and I am fine with all the difficulties and inaccuracies involved - but I also don't want to pay way too much for them.

@ic-racer: a very philosophical answer

[Paul Ewins]

To be honest, they're not that old in relative terms. The Doppel-Anastigmat designation places them as pre 1946, but the f6.8 versions didn't start until 1919. Prior to that the maximum aperture wasn't consistent. By contrast I have five pre 1920 Heliars, although only one has a shutter.

Generally speaking, they fall into the category of rare but unloved. I collect them and while they don't come up very often there isn't a bidding frenzy when they do. I only have five of the pre-war Symmars and have basically bought everything I have had access to (a lot of sellers won't ship to Australia) over the last two or three years. The lack of collectors is probably because Schneider is a relatively new company (compare to Voigtlander for instance) and because they didn't make cameras as well.

Good luck with them, the collector part of me is jealous of your find!

[E. von Hoegh]

Paul, many thanks for your estimates! I searched those at ebay but did not find any, this is why I asked here. I actually want a really old camera for my experiments and I am fine with all the difficulties and inaccuracies involved - but I also don't want to pay way too much for them.

@ic-racer: a very philosophical answer

Try searching epay for "doppel anastigmat", otherwise the results may be swamped by hits on the more modern Plasmat - type Symmars. They do show up on that site.

You don't need a "really old" camera, just a lens from the correct period. As I mentioned, your Symmars are Dagor types, and are indistinguishable in performance. My first lens for 8x10 was a Doppel-Anastigmat Symmar, which I later traded for an "echt" Dagor of the same focal length. Indistinguishable.

Good luck.

Edit - http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-UNC...item334f41d8c1