Antique store gold

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I guess I've been luckier than I deserve over the years with camera finds in Antique stores. My wife and I enjoy going to antique shops from time to time just to kill time. This past Saturday we decided to go to a couple of shops in the area that we'd found interesting artifacts in. While strolling through the first shop I walked by a booth with an old display case pushed off to the side. I noticed the only thing in the case were what looked like some camera cases. I bent over and pulled them out and mostly what was there was some old and abused cameras not worth carrying out of the store. Then, I noticed what looked like a TLR case pushed to the back. I reached in and pulled out a Rolleiflex case. I popped it open and inside was a 3.5F with a Planar lens. I examined it pretty carefully and found the lenses to be perfect. Mechanically it was stiff and the shutter not working. It was trying to fire but there had been too many years of sitting with the lube drying out.

I popped the back open and there was a roll of Kodacolor-X in the take-up side. Kodacolor-X / C-22 process went out in the early to mid 70's. From that I'm guessing the camera hadn't been used since that time.

There was a bit of mildew on the leather but the camera seemed to be solid. I picked up the case which was in good shape and saw some Rollei pouches. Inside were 2 Rolleinars #'s 1 and 2, Rolleisoft 1 and medium yellow filter.

There was no price so you can bet the price was going to be high as Everything is rare in the antique world. Looking again in the case I uncovered a piece of yellow paper with prices. The Rollei was priced at $395 which seemed a touch high given the shutter not working and the mildew. I took the camera to the clerk and offered $75. The clerk said the owner didn't have a phone but came in every day as he owned the mall.

Sunday I received a call that the owner had accepted my offer of $75. Well their morning I picked it up on the way to a shoot and this evening took some ever clear to it and it cleaned up very nicely. It's not new but I'd rate it E+ with perfect glass.

Anyway I just finished packing it to ship out tomorrow for a through CLA. I was in Camera Service Company near Atlanta at Christmas picking up a Focomat. They've been in business for decades and have some excellent techs. I gave them a call and they said no problem that they still do film cameras. I trust them since seeing quite a few medium format cameras they'd repairs on and finding that they are an authorized Nikon service center. Not giving an open budget, I asked what a CLA would coast and they said around $165 to $185 plus any parts if needed.

Hopefully I'll have it back in a few weeks and make some images with it.
 
What a great find! Good thing the owner accepted your offer. Hopefully the CLA will get it back into excellent working condition.
 
The Maxwell was the screen that was installed.
The original screen was the other one that I sent later.

I have not been at it as long as you and others but what I will say is, there is not a single perfect screen for the Rolleiflex.
Bright ones lack contrast in bright light, the original one is too dim in low light.
Maybe it's best to have a two camera set up.
I used a T for travel between 2012-14 and really liked the higher contrast screen for scenery and bright daylight.
The slightly wider tessar was great for those trips too.`
The f2.8D with Maxwell ruled the night and Portraiture.
If you sell the D please drop me a note. I'll ship something off and bring it back 🙂
Cheers!
 
f16sunshine said:
The Maxwell was the screen that was installed.
The original screen was the other one that I sent later.

I have not been at it as long as you and others but what I will say is, there is not a single perfect screen for the Rolleiflex.
Bright ones lack contrast in bright light, the original one is too dim in low light.
Maybe it's best to have a two camera set up.
I used a T for travel between 2012-14 and really liked the higher contrast screen for scenery and bright daylight.
The slightly wider tessar was great for those trips too.`
The f2.8D with Maxwell ruled the night and Portraiture.
If you sell the D please drop me a note. I'll ship something off and bring it back 🙂
Cheers!
Click to expand...

I think a lot of my problem is my eyes. My eye Dr makes my prescription a little stronger than I like for my work. I wear disposable contacts and still can see close ok but not great without readers. The magnifier in different models of Rolleis seems to be different. The magnifier in the Rolleicord V that I had was different than the 2.8D which is different than the 3.5F. If I put low power readers on I can focus ok with the D. Without readers I didn't have any problem with the Rolleicord. I think these factors coupled with the lower contrast of the screen is why I have a problem.

If I sell the D I'll let you know. It is a very sweet camera.
 
Good find on the 3.5F. I've also been pretty lucky with TLR finds. A 2.8F with similarly aged film inside, not even completely shot through, that was a Craigslist find and only shows light use.

Antique store a couple months later had a 614 Original model for $20. I did some clean up and it's a smooth user now but it won't win any glamour contests.

Always a thrill to see that sized case or camera, no matter what's inside.
 
I found a 3.5E on Craigslist that needed a CLA and met the owner and took a look. It physically looked but the taking lens had a scratch on it and the shutter was sticky. He wanted too much for that condition so I passed.

I also found a really clean Rolleicord V that I bought and used for a while. I got it for $50 and it just needed a little cosmetic cleaning.

I've been really lucky scoring my M2 with 9 lenses, 2 visoflexes, new baby Desrdorff and 2 Nikon F's all from antique stores.
 
Lucky for you x-ray. I envy you.

In Northern Virginia, antique stores don't even seem to carry cameras any more, Purple Heart and other stores like that usually want more money than a camera is worth, but sometimes yield good deals, and pawn shops usually only handle digital, but if they have a film camera, you can expect to contribute strongly to the owner's child's college fund.
 
I've never found anything worth carrying out in a pawn shop. I went to an estate sale last year and just missed a Leica a IIIf with Leicavit and 50 Summitar. It went for $250.

It seems like more cameras are showing up now. My generation is starting to move into retirement homes and selling off their estate. I think when digital came in a lot of film cameras were stuck in the back of the closet and are now emerging. In my area Ive seen companies that go in and buy everything then sell it off. I suspect a lot of the good stuff is picked off and sold on eBay though. I'm constantly looking though. I lucked into a like new IIIG and 50 Summicron for $500 twenty years ago. They were fetching high prices then. The Japanese were collecting and the Chinese were getting into it. You just never know when and what you'll find.
 
What is the name of the servicing company in Atlanta called please. I have two Rolleiflex modals that need a clean and would like to talk with these people.
Thank you,
James.
 
Zombie threads are a fun way to travel back in time. Three years ago, I never would have thought the world would be as it is.
I've only had a few thift store and antique shop finds which were significant, but never a Rolleiflex. Wow.
Phil Forrest
 
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