Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/24

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Subject: [Leica] Photo Auction 6/23/01 Radford, Virginia
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 11:57:41 -0400

It is most unusual to have a major photographic auction close to my home in
western Virginia, but we had one yesterday.  Ken Farmer Auctions in
Radford, Virginia, sold off the estate of a 'photographic accumulator'.  It
was most interesting to attend -- the auction was well-run and 224 lots
were knocked down over a period of about three hours.

There were few surprises:  the photographic gear, with one exception, went
below or at the bottom of the "expected range", while images (stereoscopic,
magic lantern slides, prints, negatives) brought in two to three times, or
more, of this "range".  The sole exception was an Edison Projecting
Kinoscope, Number 16, with an expected range of $400 to $600;  this puppy
knocked down at $8,500.  

The photo gear advisor was Bob Shell, whom I finally -- after more than a
decade of exchanges by mail, fax, phone, and e-mail -- got to meet in
person.  One of the attendees was the IDCC's own Bob Kulinski, noted sage
of Wood-and-Brass, who left with a trunkful of gear and a sly smile on his
face.

I didn't dent my pocket-book badly, and went away content with an E-
Minature Speed Graphic (badly worn back, Kalart RF out of whack, otherwise
functional, no film holder), an E- Agfa Ambi-Silette (functional, but the
latch on the RF cover is worn), an E 5.6/300 Kilfitt (minor fungus,
cosmetically E+, but with a COZWI!), an E Argus C-44 set (with the variable
finder, the 100mm Cintagon, and the vaunted Argus Flash), and a Rollei 35
case.  Nothing of Rolleiflex, Leica, or Zeiss/Zeiss Ikon was offered of
special interest to me, though a IIIA was withdrawn from auction for
unstated reasons.

All in all, a fascinating 3 hours.

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir!