RE: [Leica] Official soft release

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Seth - I realize that one can, indeed, find amazing bargains at that site.
Obviously, it cuts both ways. I could be overreacting - NO!:-) - to seeing
commonly available items go for outrageously high amounts, and seeing people
pay more for a Leica box than many people pay for a decent camera.

But I digress - constantly. ;-)

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
SthRosner@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 2:40 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Official soft release


In a message dated 3/7/02 1:53:38 PM Eastern Standard Time,
bdcolen@earthlink.net writes:

> It is truly astounding the crap people buy on that site, and the prices
they pay

Hello B.D.

I'm certain that there is a lot of crap on the site and at crazy prices -
have you ever attended a Christie's classic car auction? all it takes is two
bidders who really want a rare item to drive the price of a collector
Ferrari
quickly into sedven figures. That said, most - not all - people bidding on
that site are not sophisticated and do not know the real value of what
they're bidding on. But there are occasional anomalies where an item simply
isn't seen by people who would be interested and so there are not really any
competing bidders. Some of the items listed below fall into that category.

I had never even looked at the site whose name is ineffable until late last
November. Since then I have bought through their auctions:

Leica IIf w/ 50/3,5 Elmar, mint -, fresh cla of camera and lens:
$359. (!!!)
35/2,8 Summaron, ex+, perfect glass, perfect function
$435.
35/2,8 Summaron, mint, perfect glass and function
$460.
35/2,8 Summaron screwmount, not yet received but
        described as mint glass & function
   $500.  (!!!)
50/2 DR Summicron, no eyes, mint -, perfect glass & function          $408.

I bought another Leica lens that I thought was not in the condition
described, emailed the seller in Melbourne bloody Australia (thanks Karina,
other end of the island!!) who promptly refunded my purchase price as soon
as
he received the returned lens.

Also bought on auction from a dealer in Rome a like-new in box Leica M2S for
I-don't-want-to-tell-you-how-much; picked up by FedEx at Rome Ciampino
airport, scanned and logged in and out at deGaulle-Paris (I followed FedEx's
tracking number for almost two weeks) and never reached FedEx in Memphis.
Got
a full refund of the purchase price from the Rome dealer who is now pursuing
a claim against FedEx.

You do have to know what you're doing, to examine the history and reputation
of the seller, to contact the seller by email with any questions, to know
with some precision the market for the item you are after and to bid very
carefully.

I have no interest in nor brief for eBay, but my experience has been first
rate and some of the purchases listed have been exceptional values.

Seth           LaK 9
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