Re: Leica 50/2.0 Summicron-m

[pgs@pa.dec.com (Patrick Sobalvarro)]

   Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 20:01:33 -0400
   From: alan@iti2000.com (Alan Newman)

   ...I have a question, I just purchased 50/2.0 Summicron-m 309xxxx
   at a garage sale for $200.00. The lens is in mint- condition and
   for $200 I felt that I couldn't go wrong with it.

I have a question, too.  Where are all these garage sales and flea
markets where people keep finding great bargains on Leicas?  Flea
markets here in Northern California are of two types:

a) Recent immigrants from developing countries sell fresh produce and
   new clothes, pots and pans, tools, automobile tires, etc. to each
   other.  Examples: San Jose Flea Market, Big Red Barn flea market.
   I like these markets, but I would not call them flea markets and
   they are not good places to find cameras.
b) Impoverished Caucasian people sell old broken household things to
   each other, while recent immigrants from developing countries also
   hold a type (a) flea market on the same grounds.  Example: Capitol
   Flea Market.  The only cameras one sees at these are broken point
   'n' shoots or 8mm movie cameras.

Garage sales and antique stores here mostly seem to sell furniture.
However, one also finds: plastic placemats with schematic illustrated
maps of states on them; ceramic salt and pepper shakers in the shapes
of little boys and girls; table lamps in the shape of a lamppost with
a drunken man holding on to it; glass tumblers with "Souvenir of Las
Vegas" and a pair of tumbling dice painted on them; decorative model
automobiles which are actually bottles which one can fill with
spirits; used jigsaw puzzles from which a few pieces may be missing;
black velvet paintings of sad clowns or Elvis Presley; 1960's record
players built into hard carrying cases covered in grey vinyl; old
books; photographs of chimpanzees wearing clothes sitting behind
desks; paintings of dogs playing poker and smoking cigars; and, oh
yes, the occasional old Kodak Brownie camera.

But I never ever see any cameras that I might be remotely interested
in buying at them, much less Leicas.  What's your secret?  Where are
these great garage sales and flea markets?

- -Patrick