Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
I am not sure why we are not happy on Mr. Slade "score/find". A great "score/find" are terms that have been used on this forum on many occassions. I am sure, if any of us was in Mr. Slade's position we would have had the same, if not similar excitement of the "underpriced acquisition". Trade is never fair, however, if the two trading partners seem satisfied, then the camera was fairly acquired :-)
I'm happy for him, and skeptical of the potentially dubious method at the same time. For me this story emphasizes the improtance of doing sufficient homework to establish value/price versus asking a single random expert who may have vested interests. But in the end... I'm betting that those guys who sold the gear probably skipped away heppily thinking they were the ones coming out ahead on the deal.
I make them tell me a price - that way they are happy and I didn't trick them into anything
if they ask the value... I try to be reasonably fair with the valuation .. one can't tell if problems are hidden in it and I usually assume the worst.... and then I'll again ask what his price is and either buy it or tell him what I would pay ..which might be way less than my valuation - but it is then up to them to decide
I've been to garage sales and see some guy bargaining down some widow on a rollieflex or leica from the 50 she was asking to 25 or 20
and I think: come on dude..pay the 50.. it's way worth it and you know it and make a widow happy
I'd be very happy to pay a widow $50 for a Rollei. I have never met such a widow, however.
I used to go to garage/yard sales and estate sales on a weekly basis when my daughter was small. I would buy like new clothes and toys for next to nothing. I was always on the look out for camera gear but all I found was Polaroids, Kodak Brownies, and cheap plastic Time/Life Magazine 35mm cameras.
Me either, but I WILL tell them it's worth ten times what they are asking and, if I want it and am willing to pay that, will make them a lower but not insulting offer - like in your case, say, "It's probably worth $1000 if you find the right buyer but I can't do that. I'd like to have it and will give you $750" or whatever.
I'm not sure this camera is worth ten times the "appraisal" though. I bought a Tech III with three good clean lenses on boards, a shoulder bag, and some miscelaneous hoods and such back in the 90s for, IIRC, $450 or so. It's undoubtedly worth less now. And mine wasn't coated over though it didn't have the rangefinder.
I am pretty sure it was worth more than $75 though.
Bookmarks