Soviet flea market finds

[rxmd]

On Saturday I once again went to the weekly flea market here and found out why I like flea markets in post-Soviet countries.

I walked out with ten 1980 back issues of "Sovetskoe foto" (the Soviet monthly journal for photojournalists and amateur photographers) covering the Moscow olympics, three textbooks on photography and photochemistry, and a 1955 Zorki-3 with matching (if gummed-up) Jupiter-8 and case, all together for $25.

Someone else offered an Iskra in good shape for $45, along with a selection of compact cameras and a Kristall SLR. I didn't buy the Iskra because I already have one. I might reconsider the Kristall, though. 😎

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Always nice to find photography related books and magazines. And some cameras.

It's a rare occurance for me to find a classic camera here at a flea market. Certainly no Russian beauties.

Anyway, I hope you can free up the controls of the Jupiter-8. I'm getting a broken Kodak Signet 35 in the mail this week. I hope that's fixable too. 😉

 

[oftheherd]

Sounds like a very worth while trip to the market. I used to have a complete selection of photo magazines that covered several years, as well as a nice selection of books. I miss that. Good for you.

 

[ErnestoJL]

God bless the flea markets and keep them healthy for Us!
$25 for a Z3 with J8 plus the bonus is really nice.
I found sometime ago the original Swiss edition of Sam Haskin´s November Girl for just USD 5! When released it was worth half my monthly wages.
Cheers
Ernesto

 

[Out to Lunch]

Lucky you. The further away from the 'center' the better your chances. I lived for a number of years in Chisinau, Moldova and the flea market had little to offer, especially since in neighboring Ukraine the online FSU camera/lenses business had already taken off.

 

[rmeskill]

Picked up a Zorki IV 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution edition with Jupiter 8 in Krakow for $30 a few years back. Was eyeing a Pentacon 6 in great condition at the time, too, but for some reason $150 sounded like a lot when converted to zloty...

 

[wolves3012]

Nice finds, the Jupiter 8 isn't a hard lens to CLA. Some people have all the luck eh. Anytime I've been around such places I only find the junk, often at inflated prices from people who know nothing of the true value.

 

[Zorkiiglaza]

Yes with the problems in Kyrgyzstan more things show up at great prices at the flea markets. Many items showed up in Kazakhstan 2 summers ago during the heat of the crisis. I was lucky to pick up copies of Sovietski Foto and well as two others Review Fotographie and Foto CCCP and annual hard bound. There are thousands of Soviet photo books and journals out there. The owners do not know that they are collectible and they are more difficult to sell -- weight and price wise. Although I have a friend in Almaty who thinks that any of them could be sold for $10 in America. Kyrgyzstan hasn't had camera repairmen in over 15 years. A friend gave me a jammed FT-2 panoramic since it was useless to him. I got it repaired in Almaty- 4 hours away by bus for less than $5.00
But I feel that most cameras have been bought up by both European and Asian collectors in Almaty

 

[kievman]

A Iskra for $45!? What a steal!!!!!!!!!!!

A Iskra for $45!? What a steal!!!!!!!!!!!

I paid $85 for a beat up Iskra from Poland $45 is a steal!!!!!!! Kievman