MX5Bob Posted April 2, 2011 Share #1 Posted April 2, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Call me cynical, but I find the number of "rare" Leica items for sale on e-bay to be a stretch to say the least. Some of them are, but there are occasions when something described as "extremely rare" is in fact part of a batch of 3,500 serial numbers. "Buy Now" price of three times what the item is probably worth. /rant Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 2, 2011 Posted April 2, 2011 Hi MX5Bob, Take a look here When claims of "rare" are questionable. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pico Posted April 2, 2011 Share #2 Posted April 2, 2011 Yeah, but there are two fools born every minute. One to sell, one to buy. I had a very rare military Graflex 70mm rangefinder camera kit, complete, serial number 7. It financed two M7s and the M9. That was rare. But the rare zorkis, fake leicas, and any camera older than the 20-something seller - yah, what a joke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MX5Bob Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted April 2, 2011 Too true. Let's see, I've got a rare Kodak folding 620 camera; should be worth $10k, right? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 2, 2011 Share #4 Posted April 2, 2011 My wife (so Irish she is) has a sense of humor. She suggested auctioning a "Mint Mint in Mint Mint Package" and payable only in punt Éireannach. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted April 2, 2011 Share #5 Posted April 2, 2011 My wife (so Irish she is) has a sense of humor. She suggested auctioning a "Mint Mint in Mint Mint Package" and payable only in punt Éireannach. On the subject of the Irish punt, given the plight of Ireland (and whose fault it is) the very old joke comes to mind: Q: Why is an Irish pound called a punt? A: Because it rhymes with banker. [Apologies if this more properly belongs in the Bar!] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted April 2, 2011 Share #6 Posted April 2, 2011 Too true. Let's see, I've got a rare Kodak folding 620 camera; should be worth $10k, right? I will raise you two folding Kodaks and a even "rarer" box camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebidwell Posted April 2, 2011 Share #7 Posted April 2, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) On the question of things being described as rare I was looking on that well known auction site for a Leica Lens Cap when I came across this: Very Rare Vintage Leica M Lens Cap on eBay (end time 13-Apr-11 08:12:32 BST) I asked the seller why was it described as 'Very Rare' and his answer was: "This is an old version heavy chrome from 50's-60's hence it is rare.":confused: Surprisingly all of his Lens Caps were described the same Best wishes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 3, 2011 Share #8 Posted April 3, 2011 It's not just camera gear, I ordered a 'rare' steak in Chez Gerard, and it really wasn't:mad: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
smb Posted April 3, 2011 Share #9 Posted April 3, 2011 Rare usually means the seller has not seen it before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MX5Bob Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted April 3, 2011 On the question of things being described as rare I was looking on that well known auction site for a Leica Lens Cap when I came across this: Very Rare Vintage Leica M Lens Cap on eBay (end time 13-Apr-11 08:12:32 BST) I asked the seller why was it described as 'Very Rare' and his answer was: "This is an old version heavy chrome from 50's-60's hence it is rare.":confused: Surprisingly all of his Lens Caps were described the same Best wishes I think that's the same guy selling the "rare, early" black 90mm Summicron that inspired my rant. I spent a great deal of time prowling camera stores in downtown Chicago [RIP, Altman Camera] in the late '60s and throughout the '70s and the word "rare" and black 90mm Summicron do not go together. Hardly ever saw a chrome one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 4, 2011 Share #11 Posted April 4, 2011 Every single Leica thing the guy sells he classifies as 'Rare'. Nut-job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted April 4, 2011 Share #12 Posted April 4, 2011 ...folks, whatever our standpoint, I'm pretty sure we all agree there is no quantitative definition of the word "rare" - hence the arguably questionable item descriptions. Oddly enough, the seller appears to be doing rather well with sales and (shock, horror!) feedback. Behold, the market has spoken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pop Posted April 4, 2011 Share #13 Posted April 4, 2011 This discussion brings a cartoon to my mind which I have seen several aeons ago. It depicted a largish truck with trailer. The truck had written on it ... "Rare Stamps". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MX5Bob Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted April 5, 2011 ...folks, whatever our standpoint, I'm pretty sure we all agree there is no quantitative definition of the word "rare" - hence the arguably questionable item descriptions. Oddly enough, the seller appears to be doing rather well with sales and (shock, horror!) feedback. Behold, the market has spoken. Well, the market isn't always right. Look at how many people bought the Reliant Robin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted April 5, 2011 Share #15 Posted April 5, 2011 Top Gear drives a Reliant Robin to find out why it was so popular. [VIDEO] Of course, 3,500 of something may count as "rare" if 3,499 of them are stashed away in collections. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MX5Bob Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted April 6, 2011 I really enjoyed Top Gear's "test" of the Robin, especially the following week when Ken Block rolled it. Yes, I suppose "rare" can extend to the market condition, not just the manufacturing side. Admittedly, when I think "rare" I think about limited editions, Jaguar XKE competition light [only about 8 of those made], original 289 Cobras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 6, 2011 Share #17 Posted April 6, 2011 ...folks, whatever our standpoint, I'm pretty sure we all agree there is no quantitative definition of the word "rare" - hence the arguably questionable item descriptions. Oddly enough, the seller appears to be doing rather well with sales and (shock, horror!) feedback. Behold, the market has spoken. With respect, I disagree. An informed seller should know what is rare and what is not. It is not difficult to discern rare from old stuff, for example. Of course, this presumes some respect to a trusting buyer, or 'sucker', as the seller considers them. The seller in question is a hype-magnet. Period. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted April 6, 2011 Share #18 Posted April 6, 2011 With respect, I disagree. An informed seller should know what is rare and what is not. It is not difficult to discern rare from old stuff, for example. Of course, this presumes some respect to a trusting buyer, or 'sucker', as the seller considers them. The seller in question is a hype-magnet. Period. ...Pico, you disagree there is no quantitative definition of the word "rare"? In that case, I await specific input from you on the matter. Whatever my views on the seller, the assertion that "It is not difficult to discern rare from old stuff, for example" is highly unlikely to stand up to a test. It is easy to slash the seller for his arguably liberal use of said word, but this is not about the seller - it is about the capacity of the word "rare". When should an item to be termed "rare"? Is there a numerical cut-off point? Or is it all down to subjectivity, i.e. a function of the seller's (informed or otherwise) individual input? As far as I am aware, there is no standard - hence the woolliness, which a seller (or indeed, a buyer) may seek to leverage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 6, 2011 Share #19 Posted April 6, 2011 aesop: the seller being discussed leads every Leica item with the word 'rare', and the items are not all rare, so he's hyping the articles. It simply bothers me when meanings of words are diminished for the sake of commercialism. So be it. The world moves on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincoln_m Posted April 6, 2011 Share #20 Posted April 6, 2011 WestLicht that's a real auction site. Noticeably less Leicas at auction in the past few years. Never brave enough to take a bet on one. Some old papz M2 BP camera went for €30K A real working UR-Leica now that would be rare. Weren't there only 3 made in 1920s 1924? Leica should make new UR-Leicas instead of Titan M9. Regards, Lincoln "I Love my UR-Leica" thread anyone? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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