another day, another garage sale....

P

paulashman

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Hello,
It has taken a while for my registration to get approved for the site, but here is the story... A month ago on the way home from saturday errands we stopped at a yard sale 2 blocks from home (it's noon by now). Looked at a yard full of trash and junk and was headind towards a bag with an old vhs recorder sticking out. A lady got there first and as I looked she pulled out a brown leather case, my heart stopped, she opened it, I saw Nikon, it stopped again. I gently asked if I could see it, she handed it over and told me I could have it. ....heart barely breathing...thought it was a chrome SP at first..without looking at the camera I asked how much, the owner said "five bucks" I turned to get my wallet so fast I nearly got whiplash. After paying I got to my car and found it to be a S2 with a 50, 1.4 lens. I got home and realized that it was the 349th S2 made, nice condition with an engraving on the bottom. I called Cameraquest to ask about service and he asked if I looked over everything at the sale.....I am an idiot, I thought.....went back over, its about to rain. Looked frantically, no more cameras, the owner said" yea there were four or five cameras today, I don't remember what they were though. Taking a last look around I found on a stack of books, Tydings :Nikon Guide" in nice condition with a taped cover. I helped her pull the tarp over the stuff, so she gave me the book for free, and inside the book was an old Flash Exposure Guide card for the Nikon 50mm. All in all, a good yard sale day in Florida.

Paul in Panama City
DSCN9988-1.jpg
 
it all balances out in the end, i believe.

i just sold a friend of mine an old stereo outfit, a great amp plus a 25 cd changer and 2 lovely wharfedale speakers...i sold it dirt cheap...i have done this sort thing before and if i found a deal like this i would grab it and walk away.
 
I would only feel guilty about a buy like this is if the seller were elderly (diminished intellectual dexterity), or in obvious financial distress, let's say: in a vulnerable position, otherwise they are selling, they are setting the price (or accepting the offer), and I am buying.
 
Last edited:
markwatts said:
I know thousands will disagree and argue it is a free market etc., but I couldn't take advantage of anyone like that.
Click to expand...

Really??? He asked for their price and they gave it...
Now, if the seller asked for $20 and he said "I'll give ya $5"...then you might have an argument...
One man's junk is another man's treasure...

Good thing this happened in Florida...there's no possible way I could have made that garage sale...soooo I'm not mad at ya...😀
 
I've sold stuff for less than it was worth, both on purpose, and by accident, the worse was when I trusted a dealer I thought was a friend, when I was selling some things for a friend. I called him to OK the price, and he said it was OK, the dealer walked away with a Kodak Bantam in the box -- yeah the good one -- and some other items for almost nothing.

Happens often, I felt worse that it was not my stuff, was a long time ago, but still irritates. Told my friend at a later date when I figured it out, and it was OK with it.

There is a reason people ask what someone wants for something, in my case, I trusted someone I had dealt with a number of times, letting him set the price, and he took advantage.

At a yard sale, the person selling this item obviously was not the owner and had too much stuff to check the prices, and you have the wild card that you are buying it "as is", you take a risk if you have to shell out for expensive service.

A friend also recently picked up a 500C with three lenses at an antique shop for $25, but everything needs a CLA, so is that a fair price?

Stuff can be a bargain, but they can also be a project.

Congrats on a great find, I think your $5 is safe. ;-) S2 Nikons are pretty reliable, but you can afford a CLA, if it does not feel very smooth when you advance it, spring for the service.

Regards, John
 
Thanks for all of the replies. The story has a little more depth. I spent some time talking to the lady who ran the sale, about my age, mid 40's, and she explained that they were contracted by local banks to do "finish cleanout" on homes or apts. once the owners and renters took all of their stuff. it was lots junk, books, records, etc. They typically have a sale a month and I am sure I will find more as I go. I took to heart some of the comments, and that day I offered $10 for the book, but since I helped get everything covered before the rain she refused my money. As to the idea of cashing in, it probably needs a CLA, the lowest speeds are off, but it is otherwise clean and smooth. I have shot Nikon all of my life and always wanted a Nikon RF, black would have been nice, but thats another dream. The lens was tight at first and the blades show wear, but not oil. Gentle working has loosened it up. No cap was present, and the case is not so great, but those are replaceable. As a college professor, my office is full of all kinds of eclectic stuf, so if nothing else it will look good on a shelf. Thanks for all of the kind replies, I see the values of these all over the place, would a serial number this low (6135349) add any significant value, I see that people are asking some stupid prices for low number F bodies.

Paul in Florida

"bartender, I'll have what the gentleman on the floor is having"
 
Even if I was going to put it on a shelf, there are repair folks mentioned in threads here who can properly service it for a reasonable amount, so that you do not damage anything, it sounds from your description as if it has been sitting long enough that the lubrication materials need to be attended to. I would recommend Yeoxin Ye if he works on Nikon RF's, I know he does good work on Leicas, someone will chime in here and correct me I am sure if he does not.

I would not try to work anything loose, or working to speed, let an expert go over it.

I would not worry about the case, almost every one I have seen have bad straps, and they often break where they fold, Nikon was much better at cameras than cases, plus the leather draws moisture, and any brass greens with corrosive results. I think the only part of my S cases I have used were the bottoms.

It has had a long rest, time to service. ;-)

Regards, John
 
Last edited:
markwatts said:
I know thousands will disagree and argue it is a free market etc., but I couldn't take advantage of anyone like that.
Click to expand...

Take advantage?

Paul had the knowledge and information that the old chrome camera is a good one and he bought it, not pickpocket it or swindle it out of the seller's possession.

That is called the practice of trading (has nothing to do with free-market or not). A practice that has served human race for a thousands of years. And with it always, information. Which is one of the key factor that makes trading possible.

If you look around, most of the stuff you have and can afford are the result of trading.

Something to think about.
 
Well, at least I was correct to anticipate most of you would not share my point of view. I must remember to leave careful instructions for my wife🙂
 
Originally Posted by markwatts
I know thousands will disagree and argue it is a free market etc., but I couldn't take advantage of anyone like that.

I always thought that yard sales were people getting rid of things they
no longer care for. If someone were looking to make a huge profit I
don't think they would have it at the yard sale. You are helping someone get
rid of something that they don't want anymore. Win win deal for both parties.
Nelson
 
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