Bart B.
Newbie
Walked into the garage at the house having the sale, browsed around for goodies I covet then kind of tripped over a grey metal box that was out past the edge of the table it was under. Interesting latches and hinge on the lid, it appeared to have something inside that might be worthwile. Oft times, such old metal boxes do.
Opened the lid and laying on top was an old sleeve of Sylvania 25B flash bulbs. A brushed aluminum round case with household sockets at one end and two wired clamps around its body held in clamps on the lid. Picked up the sleeve of bulbs and there it was. Something dark grey with brighter aluminum trim and a black leather strap. Grabbed that strap and pulled that big thing out.
It looked like the daddy of my old 2x3 Century Graphic I played with back in the 1960's. But it was much heavier. And holding it up I knew it was a big Graflex of some type. There were silver knobs at the top of bed but it took me a while to remember how to roll them to drop the bed. Knobs rolled, bed dropped and the following words jump right off the front standard into my eyes:
"Super Speed Graphic"
Everything inside that old 4x5 classic, including the back and ground glass was pristine, minty condition. Even the Graflex 1000 Rodenstock Optar 135mm f/4.5 lens. I began to tremble as I looked at the other stuff besides the flash bulbs still in the box. I set the SSG down and went through the rest of the stuff that included........
* One Graflex viewfinder with No. 4 mask.
* Two Riteway 4x5 film holders.
* One Grafmatic film holder.
* One Polaroid 500 back.
* One Graflex film pack adapter.
* One 6x7mm Graflex RH-10 120 roll film back with No. 10 viewfinder mask.
* One Graflite 2-cell battery case with Y cord.
* One Graflight 7.5 inch reflector.
* One Graflight 5 inch reflector.
* One Graflex tripod adapter.
* One box of unknown film, expired Aug. 1971.
* Manuals for all, inluding the filled out registration card dated July, 1965.
* Two 22.5 volt Rayovac batteries inside; probably dead.
* 3 Series VI Wratten filters, warming, yellow and orange.
......all inside that old Graflex Vulcanoid grey metal box.
After calming down enough to talk, I asked the man of the house if he would take $20 for everything, "Sold!" was his reply to which I replied "Thanks a zillion."
Checked everything out in more detail later. Polaroid back was rusty in spots and doesn't look like there's any film available for it any more. Ditto for the film pack adapter. Some guru's for this stuff said to use these items as paper weights.
Cleaned the Ektalite fresnel lens and ground glass and now they look close to new. But the shutter in the lens tested about 50% slow at all speeds up through 1/500th and 80% fast at 1/750th and 1/1000th. Sent this puppy out for a CLA job. Shutter's now within 5% up through 1/500th. The two high speeds are now 1/1300th and 1/1600th. Repair man said they would probably stay there for a while but may slow down to closer to what they should be. But probably shouldn't use those high speeds too much as that shutter's track record is a bit iffy.
Got batteries from a guy in Las Vegas for $9 each. And a Honeywell Heiland 64B strobe with sync cord and a Graflite 3-cell battery holder complete with Graflite clamps on both for $12. Both work perfectly.
Also bought a dozen Riteway film holders for $4 each, but several needed their hinge tape replaced. Found a company selling 3M black gaffers tape and asked them how much a few yards would cost. Sales gal said they sold that 48mm wide tape in 60-yard rolls at $30 each. But she would try to find something to help me out. Next day, she emailed me a copy of her request to a company that does promotional work for 3M. They were mailing me two rolls at no cost as as "samples for evaluation." Three days later, two rolls of top quality hinge tape arrived. Any readers who want some, send me email or a PM and let me know how much you want. I'll charge shipping costs of $5 to send a few yards wrapped on cardboard to you via the US Post Office flat rate box. Such a deal to share that free tape with you folks. I "evaluated" it on half a dozen film holders; works fine and will probably last a long time. Got a bunch extra for replacement.
Life is good. Gonna forget my Nikon DSLR's, FSLR's and all those SD and CF memory cards plus 35mm film for a while.
Opened the lid and laying on top was an old sleeve of Sylvania 25B flash bulbs. A brushed aluminum round case with household sockets at one end and two wired clamps around its body held in clamps on the lid. Picked up the sleeve of bulbs and there it was. Something dark grey with brighter aluminum trim and a black leather strap. Grabbed that strap and pulled that big thing out.
It looked like the daddy of my old 2x3 Century Graphic I played with back in the 1960's. But it was much heavier. And holding it up I knew it was a big Graflex of some type. There were silver knobs at the top of bed but it took me a while to remember how to roll them to drop the bed. Knobs rolled, bed dropped and the following words jump right off the front standard into my eyes:
"Super Speed Graphic"
Everything inside that old 4x5 classic, including the back and ground glass was pristine, minty condition. Even the Graflex 1000 Rodenstock Optar 135mm f/4.5 lens. I began to tremble as I looked at the other stuff besides the flash bulbs still in the box. I set the SSG down and went through the rest of the stuff that included........
* One Graflex viewfinder with No. 4 mask.
* Two Riteway 4x5 film holders.
* One Grafmatic film holder.
* One Polaroid 500 back.
* One Graflex film pack adapter.
* One 6x7mm Graflex RH-10 120 roll film back with No. 10 viewfinder mask.
* One Graflite 2-cell battery case with Y cord.
* One Graflight 7.5 inch reflector.
* One Graflight 5 inch reflector.
* One Graflex tripod adapter.
* One box of unknown film, expired Aug. 1971.
* Manuals for all, inluding the filled out registration card dated July, 1965.
* Two 22.5 volt Rayovac batteries inside; probably dead.
* 3 Series VI Wratten filters, warming, yellow and orange.
......all inside that old Graflex Vulcanoid grey metal box.
After calming down enough to talk, I asked the man of the house if he would take $20 for everything, "Sold!" was his reply to which I replied "Thanks a zillion."
Checked everything out in more detail later. Polaroid back was rusty in spots and doesn't look like there's any film available for it any more. Ditto for the film pack adapter. Some guru's for this stuff said to use these items as paper weights.
Cleaned the Ektalite fresnel lens and ground glass and now they look close to new. But the shutter in the lens tested about 50% slow at all speeds up through 1/500th and 80% fast at 1/750th and 1/1000th. Sent this puppy out for a CLA job. Shutter's now within 5% up through 1/500th. The two high speeds are now 1/1300th and 1/1600th. Repair man said they would probably stay there for a while but may slow down to closer to what they should be. But probably shouldn't use those high speeds too much as that shutter's track record is a bit iffy.
Got batteries from a guy in Las Vegas for $9 each. And a Honeywell Heiland 64B strobe with sync cord and a Graflite 3-cell battery holder complete with Graflite clamps on both for $12. Both work perfectly.
Also bought a dozen Riteway film holders for $4 each, but several needed their hinge tape replaced. Found a company selling 3M black gaffers tape and asked them how much a few yards would cost. Sales gal said they sold that 48mm wide tape in 60-yard rolls at $30 each. But she would try to find something to help me out. Next day, she emailed me a copy of her request to a company that does promotional work for 3M. They were mailing me two rolls at no cost as as "samples for evaluation." Three days later, two rolls of top quality hinge tape arrived. Any readers who want some, send me email or a PM and let me know how much you want. I'll charge shipping costs of $5 to send a few yards wrapped on cardboard to you via the US Post Office flat rate box. Such a deal to share that free tape with you folks. I "evaluated" it on half a dozen film holders; works fine and will probably last a long time. Got a bunch extra for replacement.
Life is good. Gonna forget my Nikon DSLR's, FSLR's and all those SD and CF memory cards plus 35mm film for a while.
Last edited:
FrankS
Registered User
Wow, congratulations on your lucky find. Good luck with it!
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Not only was a good, lucky find, it was well written. Thanks for sharing!!
will-i_am
Well-known
great find, its nice hearing these types stories.
ornate_wrasse
Moderator
That's fantastic!
You did very well at this garage sale
Ellen
You did very well at this garage sale
Ellen
oftheherd
Veteran
You did really well at that garage sale. Garage sales in my area seldom seem to include any cameras but low-grade P&S that may not even work.
Any photos of or with the cameraa/
Any photos of or with the cameraa/
ibcrewin
Ah looky looky
This thread is useless with out pics!
B-9
Devin Bro
Great find! Everytime I pass a Garage sale, I feel obligated to go a look around, you never know when you'll find a Nikon S RF in the corner for 5$ :]
Mostly your not so lucky, just end up finding a handful of old Vivitar plastic camera's and flashcubes. My best rummage find was a Polaroid SX-70 model 2 in that smooth Ivory finish, got it for 10$ at Salvation Army. The best part was selling it for 60$ a week later.
Mostly your not so lucky, just end up finding a handful of old Vivitar plastic camera's and flashcubes. My best rummage find was a Polaroid SX-70 model 2 in that smooth Ivory finish, got it for 10$ at Salvation Army. The best part was selling it for 60$ a week later.
Brian Legge
Veteran
Hah, I picked up a $10 SX-70 on craigslist. I haven't shot a pack with it yet but am holding on to it anyway as I want to use it at least a few times before I think about selling it.
I've had pretty good luck with rummage finds of various sorts. Specifically, I've picked up a lot of nice fixed lens rangefinders. I haven't come across much beyond those really, though I still had a nice string of luck.
I've had pretty good luck with rummage finds of various sorts. Specifically, I've picked up a lot of nice fixed lens rangefinders. I haven't come across much beyond those really, though I still had a nice string of luck.
ibcrewin
Ah looky looky
You know you have to hunt for your garage sale cameras now, becuase one day all the garage sale cameras will be crappy 2mp p&s with crap lenses.
John Lawrence
Well-known
Super find.
Have fun with it.
John
Have fun with it.
John
Graham Line
Well-known
What a great find! Glad it went to someone who is going to use it. Keeping the fastest speeds accurate on those shutters is kind of a lost cause. Technicians I know try to get 1/500 and the flash sync speed right, and those will remain stable for a long time.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Cool story, cool stuff!
That is a nice first post, welcome!
Show some shots of, and with that kit!
That is a nice first post, welcome!
Show some shots of, and with that kit!
Bart B.
Newbie
Such a deal at a garage sale 4 years ago!!!
Such a deal at a garage sale 4 years ago!!!
Finding this Graflex SSG and all its accessories may well be the icing on the cake of garage sales for me. Here's what I found 4 years ago at the other side of town...........
Six Nikon 35mm SLR bodies: a Nikkormat, F2, FA, N4004, N2020 and FG.
Five Nikkor lenses; 43-86, 70-210, 55mm f/1.2, and one other I now forget which wide angle it was.
Four Nikon Series E lenses; 28, 35, 50, 100 and 135.
One Sigma 35-105 lens.
Several Nikon 52mm filters.
A Nikon leather bag and many other accessories.
All for $35. Sold most of it for $950.
Such a deal at a garage sale 4 years ago!!!
Finding this Graflex SSG and all its accessories may well be the icing on the cake of garage sales for me. Here's what I found 4 years ago at the other side of town...........
Six Nikon 35mm SLR bodies: a Nikkormat, F2, FA, N4004, N2020 and FG.
Five Nikkor lenses; 43-86, 70-210, 55mm f/1.2, and one other I now forget which wide angle it was.
Four Nikon Series E lenses; 28, 35, 50, 100 and 135.
One Sigma 35-105 lens.
Several Nikon 52mm filters.
A Nikon leather bag and many other accessories.
All for $35. Sold most of it for $950.