We are considering selling the following cameras and equipment and would be grateful for any price estimates.

The exact age is not known, but the cameras were acquired in Germany around 1947. Hardly any usage for the past 30-40 years.

1) Automatic Rolleiflex, serial no. 1008930 (Compur Rapid, Franke & Widecke, Braunshweig) with Tessar f3.5 lens.

2) Leica III C, serial no. 286040 - with 5 cm Elmar f3.5 lens.

3) Leica 9 cm Elmar f4 lens.

4) Leica Vidom Viewfinder (Ernst Leipz Wetzlar).

5) Leica meter

6) Braun Hobby blitz - 23 B.

7) Sangamo Weston exposure meter - Weston Master V (serial no. Q0007).

-- JG (jgood@post7.tele.dk), February 06, 2002

Answers

Without very specific information as to the cosmetic condition and operational status of the equipment listed, it's not possible to give an estimate of value that has any meaning. You could have $500 to a $1000 worth of equipment depending on what shape it is in.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), February 06, 2002.

JG,

Andrew is right on in his comment that condition is everything to the collector. The nicer the better.

The serial # given on the Leica would indicate that it is a IIIb as opposed to a IIIa. That's a plus for value as the IIIb was lowest production of the III series (III, IIIa, IIIb, IIIc). Only 32,000 or so of over 325,000+ of the whole III series were b's.

Ultimately the best way to determine value is to put them out to the world on something such as e-bay. Be sure to include photos.

I would also note that any camera, even a Leica, that has had little use in the 30-40 years you describe, will doubtless be in need of some lubrication and adjustment, if not replacement of some parts. At the minimum a CLA will run approximately $200+ for the Leica. Any buyer, either collector or user, will factor that in.

Good Luck

Jerry

-- Jerome R. Pfile, Jr. (JerryPfile@msn.com), February 06, 2002.

This is just to give you a point of reference re. the possible value:
A quick look at the used pricelist www.photografica.com of Copenhagen gives the following result (in Danish Kroner):
Leica IIIa: 2000-3000 DKK
or Leica IIIb: 4000 DKK
Leitz Elmar chrome 50/3.5: 1500 DKK
Leitz Elmar 90/4: 1500 DKK
Vidom finder chrome: 1000 DKK
They include a 14 days money back, 2 months (i think) exchange service, and 1 year warranty.
There is no indication of condition on the website, but if your equipment is in a similar condition (whatever that may be), the shop will usually pay you around 30-40% of their selling price -depending on how easily they estimate it will sell (eg. they have loads of 50/3.5 elmars and quite af few III series cameras, so I suppose these are not bestsellers).
Equipment of this vintage with no history of autorized service is not easy to sell privately (in Denmark). And potential buyers may find the exchange/warranty service of the shop quite valueable w. this type of equipment.
Success in selling to a larger marked outside Denmark depends on your ability to give an accurate and detailed description and provide images -and a trustworthy identity.
Good luck.

-- Niels H. S. Nielsen (nhsn@ruc.dk), February 08, 2002.