Re: Tamarkin's wealth

[Michael Zeleny <zeleny@math.ucla.edu>]

>From: BReisner@bomc.timeinc.com (Brad Reisner)
>>I second that. I have had only good experiences in my dealings with Mr.
>>Tamarkin's companies (one M6, many accessories, and two camera bags so far
>>- but I'm still young ;-) In fact, I don't like buying from anywhere else
>>these days. If he can pay $80K for a collectible Leica, good for him. I
>>wish I had $80K to spend on my hobby.

From: stocker@ame.gsfc.nasa.gov (Erich Franz Stocker)
>Well I'm not sure that any hobby is worth spending $80K for single
>item systems.  Also, I thought Stan was in business and not a
>hobbyist.  This means that he intends to resell the system he
>bought and add his overhead, costs, and profit.  So, someone will
>be paying $100K for his hobby. Certainly no professional photographer
>could justify spending this for a single system.

That is not how bidding by proxy works.  Assuming that Tamarkin has no
other business at the auction, the most he will be making is a day's
pay, and that at a flat rate very likely to be lower than that of most
participants of this list.  Incidentally, car collectors of reasonable
ambition have no qualms about "spending $80K for single item systems."
In fact, a good Alfa or Duesenberg is worth over ten times as much.

>The truth is that this $80K to ~$100K has absolutely nothing to
>do with photography but just collecting.  A leica is some collection
>is just a nicely machined piece of art.  Lens quality means nothing;
>durability means nothing; use means nothing.  Leitz has simply
>become an object d'arte.

So?

>Who cares!  I would wish that Leicas had no value as collector's
>items. Then, those of use who like to use them could avoid more
>of them and their lenses.

I prefer the market as it is.  This way we never have to sell our
unwanted equipment for less than we paid for it.  Nor is there any
reason to pay retail if one has the knowledge, skill, and patience
required to compete with the dealer.

Cordially, - Mikhail | God: "Sum id quod sum." Descartes: "Cogito ergo sum."
Zeleny@math.ucla.edu | Popeye: "Sum id quod sum et id totum est quod sum."
UCLA Philosophy * ptyx * 6869 Pacific View Drive, LA, CA 90068 * 213-876-8234
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