Rare Ilford Witness - You'll just have to see this...

[photomoof]

How rare can they be if there are two on Ebay at the same time? 😀 True collector's items never hit the public domain, they are sold from dealers to collectors/museums directly.

Actually they do go on public auction, especially now that serious collectors are aging, but they very seldom are on eBay, but it happens. EBay has rather redefined the concept of "rare."

Dealers seldom have much to offer these days, but years ago, a few private (no store, no ads) dealers sold a lot of cameras, to each other, and to collectors.

Museums don't buy much in the way of photo equipment, they wait for gifts.

 

[Pioneer]

Thanks David. Once in awhile I like to parade those in front of my significant other to show her that my Leica Monochrom really wasn't that expensive after all. 😀

Sometimes it works. Most times she just says things like; "If you spend that much on a silly camera like that I will shortly have the house, the cars and the rest of your money and all I'll have to do to get it is to have you committed!"

 

[David Hughes]

Exactly, and with the cost of a second one as back-up you are saving money all the way...

Regards, David

PS Feel free to use this at anytime.

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks David. Once in awhile I like to parade those in front of my significant other to show her that my Leica Monochrom really wasn't that expensive after all. 😀

Sometimes it works. Most times she just says things like; "If you spend that much on a silly camera like that I will shortly have the house, the cars and the rest of your money and all I'll have to do to get it is to have you committed!"

Hi,

You might like to add a FED to the list of money savers:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371236614867?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I'd love to have it but there you are...

And this:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leica-M3-...758175?hash=item1a08adcf1f:g:08QAAOSwo0JWOKfx

Regards, David

 

[x-ray]

I guess I'll never understand the thinking of collectors. I thought Leica collectors were the worst. Second thought they might be. Every time crazy prices come to mind I think of the 50 f1.2 Noctilux I bought back when they were in production. I don't remembercwhat I paid used for mine but it was reasonable at the time. I just looked at the asking prices on fleabay and they range from just under $19000 to just over $28000. I think there were roughly 1000 made which was a small run but there was a good reason. The lens wasn't anything fantastic and wasn't in high demand. It probably was a touch better than the Summilux of the time but nowhere as good from f2 down as the Summicron I bought.

Talk about a premium for 1/3 stop, the No timid was only 1/3 stop faster than the Summilux. The advantage of the Noctilux wasn't speed, it was flare / contrast when light sources were in the frame or on the edge.

 

[lynnb]

Another of these has come up on eBay, listed by Real Camera in Manchester for GBP12,999 BIN plus 100 pounds postage and 200 pounds for the manual. I think I'll pass on this one, too. Pretty camera, though.

 

[ian_watts]

Pretty camera, though.

Pretty?, more like pretty naff IMO.😀 Even leaving aside the ugly witness logotype plastered all over it, the camera looks a little crudely put together (look at the knurling on the film wind-on knob).

I can honestly say that, until now (because I now know that it is worth a few quid), I wouldn't have wanted the camera if someone offered it to me for free.😱

 

[Keith]

One step up from an Argus in my opinion. 😀

 

[Steve M.]

I think Keith was thinking of the Ilford Advocate.

Sadly, the seller deleted the pics of the camera once it was sold (and for a pretty penny too). so us latecomers to the thread couldn't see the little beastie. However, I found this cool website that shows not only the Witness, but the complete line of Ilford cameras. The Witness is a pretty machine that looks inspired by Italian designs of the day. Maybe even nicer than an M3.

Ilford had a thing for camera names, including the Sporti and the Sportina (for more of that Italian flare), the Imp, the Sprite, and my personal favorite, the Pixie. How could you not like a camera called a Pixie that only had two apertures, Sunny and Dull? Not cloudy, dull. The shots were probably just as advertised too looking at the thing. It should have been called the Plastic Crappie.

http://www.photomemorabilia.co.uk/Ilford/Index_OtherCameras.html#anchor2

 

[Hogarth Ferguson]

Am I the only one who is a lil upset the author of the thread missed such a sweet title?

Rare Ilford Witness - You'll just have to see this...

Rare Ilford Witness - You'll just have to ...witness... this...

 

[seany65]

The real camera company has still got the one I mentioned a while ago in another threrad for £12,999 if anyone's interested? They also have the manual for it agt £200.

They are based in manchester, england and I've been going to that shop since it was called "knobby's cameras".

Sorry lynnb, I didn't see your post about this example/shop.

 

[tunalegs]

There's a Detrola 400 on ebay right now for a fraction of what a Witness costs, and I think it's probably just as rare.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

That one is a bargain at only $14000 USD, how about one for $23000 USD?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Ilford...195090?hash=item3a9dd6ad12:g:PH8AAMXQWnVR5Q9C

True, but still a bargain considered they ask a little more for their Swedish Leica:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Leica-...ry-3-crowns-/311787210683?hash=item4897f747bb