petebown
Established
Just got myself the bargain of the century and thought I would make everyone turn green with envy!
Just down the road from our house, there's a general auctioneers. I went along to their viewing day as they had three lots of old cameras and lenses. Two of the boxes just contained the usual rubbish - dirty old lenses and half working folding cameras etc. The third box was hidden from view under a table. I took a quick look and found quite a nice Nikon F with a 50mm f1.4 lens that should clean up nicely. Then I noticed another camera in an old ERC, hidden under a load of other stuff. I opened the case up to discover a mint Leica M3 with a 50mm f2 lens. I immediately put the camera back in its case and hid it as it was before.
The auctioneer clearly knew nothing about cameras, as the estimate for the lot was 20-30 GBP (about $40-60).
Went to the auction today. Luckily, it would appear that nobody (other than me) knew anything about cameras. I was the highest bidder, winning the lot for just 80 GBP ($160).
Since getting the lot home, I've now discovered even more goodies that were hidden away.... So I now have:
1 Leica M3
1 Leica 50mm f2 chrome
1 Leica 90mm f4 collapsible
1 Nikon F with 50mm f1.4
1 Pentax MV with 50mm f2
1 Pentax 80-200mm zoom
1 Vivitar 285 flash
2 fully working light meters - 1 Gossen, 1 Weston
All working!!!
All for 80 GBP plus 17% auctioneers commission.
Just down the road from our house, there's a general auctioneers. I went along to their viewing day as they had three lots of old cameras and lenses. Two of the boxes just contained the usual rubbish - dirty old lenses and half working folding cameras etc. The third box was hidden from view under a table. I took a quick look and found quite a nice Nikon F with a 50mm f1.4 lens that should clean up nicely. Then I noticed another camera in an old ERC, hidden under a load of other stuff. I opened the case up to discover a mint Leica M3 with a 50mm f2 lens. I immediately put the camera back in its case and hid it as it was before.
The auctioneer clearly knew nothing about cameras, as the estimate for the lot was 20-30 GBP (about $40-60).
Went to the auction today. Luckily, it would appear that nobody (other than me) knew anything about cameras. I was the highest bidder, winning the lot for just 80 GBP ($160).
Since getting the lot home, I've now discovered even more goodies that were hidden away.... So I now have:
1 Leica M3
1 Leica 50mm f2 chrome
1 Leica 90mm f4 collapsible
1 Nikon F with 50mm f1.4
1 Pentax MV with 50mm f2
1 Pentax 80-200mm zoom
1 Vivitar 285 flash
2 fully working light meters - 1 Gossen, 1 Weston
All working!!!
All for 80 GBP plus 17% auctioneers commission.
trittium
Well-known
I hate you 
congradulations
congradulations
pesphoto
Veteran
wow, congrats...nice find. IS the M3 working ?
akptc
Shoot first, think later
I just spent 20 times this amount on one camera + 1 lens. I did NOT want to see this post....
pesphoto
Veteran
oh yeah...i hate you too.....
oscroft
Veteran
Wow!! Many congrats
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
enjoy your good fortune Pete Brown.
like2fiddle
Curious
what the others said:angel: but congratulations anyway!
pesphoto
Veteran
gee i need to see if there are any auction houses near me....
petebown
Established
pesphoto said:
Everything is working!
The Leica isn't quite mint but it isn't far off. Looks as if its spent its entire life in the ERC.
cmedin
Well-known
Wow. When I have time I browse estate sales and such, but never seen anything anywhere close to this deal.
vrgard
Well-known
that's amazing. congratulations. wow. jealous and happy for you all at the same time!
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
Why can't this be a post started by ME!!!!????
Good for you, BTW...
Good for you, BTW...
kuvvy
Well-known
Ruddy hell! That's the kind of bargain I need.
I'll shorten the thread by saying...we all hate you. Still congrats and enjoy. Now get shooting!
I'll shorten the thread by saying...we all hate you. Still congrats and enjoy. Now get shooting!
pesphoto
Veteran
come on, throw it all on the table and give us a photo.....
oscroft
Veteran
Can I just say that I don't hate you at all - I think it's wonderful that such a find should fall into the hands of an RFF member (It would have been even more wonderful had it been me, of course, but I can't have everything )
)
