R
ray_g
Guest
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-SP-box-5c...536466795QQcategoryZ15234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This is just for the box??
This is just for the box??
Nikon RF - am I missing something?
- Thread starter ray_g
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Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
Yeah, that's just for the box. That's some crazy stuff right there.
W
wlewisiii
Guest
Yep. I do not know of any of collectors sillier than Nikon RF collectors. Even Leicanuts seem pure and inocent comparativly. Just ask Brian about it...
And yes, that type of stupidity is why I smash all boxes when I buy something new. More than a bit extream, I realize, but I hate the idea of some fool making ludacris amounts of money on a box.
William
And yes, that type of stupidity is why I smash all boxes when I buy something new. More than a bit extream, I realize, but I hate the idea of some fool making ludacris amounts of money on a box.
William
Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
Or at the very least sell the box and the camera together. For the love of Pete.
back alley
IMAGES
the camera is up to 1600+ with 3 hours to go.
the boxes started at 5 bucks are up to 521 and the reserve is not yet met.
too rich for my wallet...
the boxes started at 5 bucks are up to 521 and the reserve is not yet met.
too rich for my wallet...
XAos
Well-known
You know, I can see the cameras getting silly. Even if they're just collectors, cameras aren't too terribly big, they're nice to look at, heck even a big large format view camera is still smaller than a sofa or a pie safe and some people collect furniture. But a BOX? I mean it's not just like some lone nut put a $500 opening bid on it - there's _14_ stinking bids on it, it's that high, and it's STILL not met reserve. So we have at LEAST 8 separate crazy people involved with this. But what do you DO with the box? It's not like it's going in the smithsonian or something. Just how DOES one show off a $500+ empty box? Surely its no good if you can't brag about it (though you must be careful to whom you brag, because if you have any normal friends left, they'll laugh you to shame if you try to impress them with it.)
Terence T
Where'd my Bessa go?
Oh my, and I thought I've seen it all. 😱
Terence T
Where'd my Bessa go?
This can't be right, I think something fishy is going on here.
berci
Photographer Level: ****
It can be money laundering. You put something on the ebuoy and then ask a frien to bid like a fool and then you have a legal income.
R
RML
Guest
Money laundring $500? Seems peanuts to me.
IMO there's just fools at hand here, easily parted from their money.
IMO there's just fools at hand here, easily parted from their money.
popitz
The Rangefinder Junkie
$1,500 for an empty box!!!!
these people are sure smoking some real funky grass!
these people are sure smoking some real funky grass!
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
Collector cameras often bring a lot more if sold with an original box. An SP with f/1.1 Nikkor would be worth huge bucks anyway... and even huger bucks with the correct box. So this might actually be a good investment for someone who already owns an SP/1.1 and wants to maximize his return when sellling it. Also, think how few of these boxes were made, and how few must have survived! It may be years before there's another one for sale.
Also... speaking as someone who designs boxes for a living (seriously!) I have to say the design of this box is extremely cool. The proportions, colors, and use of white space and typography exemplify some of the best trends in modern late-1950s design.
It would be interesting to put together an exhibit of the evolution of the boxes of premium 35mm cameras: going from the early ones, which seem to have been influenced by the design of jewelry boxes (appropriate for selling a small "precious" object) to the best ones from the '50s, like this Nikon box (designed to convey the image that you've just bought a bold, modern product) through the rather boring foam-brick era of the '70s (when it seems the idea was just to provide the necessary protection as inexpensively as possible) and on to today (I'd nominate the package-as-theater concept of the Epson R-D 1, designed with contrasting layers so that opening it for the first time is a dramatic experience.)
What's really interesting about camera packaging (to me; okay, so I'm a package nerd) is that normally when buying an expensive camera, you don't even SEE the package until you've already bought it. So, unlike for many retail products, spending a lot of money or effort on the package can't be justified in terms of on-shelf sales appeal. And yet, companies DO spend a lot of money and effort on them. I can only surmise that either this is motivated by sheer pride, or by the assumption that it helps give the new owner a stronger bond with the brand.
See? Being interested in camera boxes isn't so crazy. I'd collect them if I had the space... although I doubt if I'd ever collect many $1,500 ones!
Also... speaking as someone who designs boxes for a living (seriously!) I have to say the design of this box is extremely cool. The proportions, colors, and use of white space and typography exemplify some of the best trends in modern late-1950s design.
It would be interesting to put together an exhibit of the evolution of the boxes of premium 35mm cameras: going from the early ones, which seem to have been influenced by the design of jewelry boxes (appropriate for selling a small "precious" object) to the best ones from the '50s, like this Nikon box (designed to convey the image that you've just bought a bold, modern product) through the rather boring foam-brick era of the '70s (when it seems the idea was just to provide the necessary protection as inexpensively as possible) and on to today (I'd nominate the package-as-theater concept of the Epson R-D 1, designed with contrasting layers so that opening it for the first time is a dramatic experience.)
What's really interesting about camera packaging (to me; okay, so I'm a package nerd) is that normally when buying an expensive camera, you don't even SEE the package until you've already bought it. So, unlike for many retail products, spending a lot of money or effort on the package can't be justified in terms of on-shelf sales appeal. And yet, companies DO spend a lot of money and effort on them. I can only surmise that either this is motivated by sheer pride, or by the assumption that it helps give the new owner a stronger bond with the brand.
See? Being interested in camera boxes isn't so crazy. I'd collect them if I had the space... although I doubt if I'd ever collect many $1,500 ones!
GeneW
Veteran
I've often thought Microsoft has such a stranglehold on computing they could offer an empty box -- Microsoft Box -- for $25 each and sell millions...
Gene
Gene
R
RML
Guest
Nice plan, JLW! I would love to see such an overview. Quite an aspect of camera gear that's usually overlooked.
I feel dirty just looking at that.
XAos
Well-known
Can you imagine trying to file a claim if it's damaged in shipping? Uh it was just an empty box. We'll replace only the value of a new empty box, because this one was special and had extradordinary intangible value.
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
XAos said:
I have a feeling that the successful bidder will just have one of his people fly over on the private jet, pick it up, and hand-carry it back.
Photar
Down Under
jlw said:
I am not so sure about this. When I was much younger and only dreaming of this stuff, I was always very much impressed by the golden (Nikon) and white (Leica) walls of boxes I saw in the shops. I would say the boxes of these two companies were always immediately recognisable. Therefore I also could not understand Leica's move to silver-coloured boxes.
W
WDG
Guest
That's a beauty! Anyone know by the serial number if it would have the titanium shutter?
Little Prince
Well-known
The winner on that box was someone I have noticed having some nice and attractive items on sale every now and then. But if I paid 1500 bucks for a box, it had better be housing an elephant or something!
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