No Subject

15" Tele Optars in barrel go for $60-150 over the last six months.  Patience is
the name of the game.  That and learning to ask the right questions of novice
sellers during the auction.  A lens looks good to the novice seller and gets
listed as "mint" or "EX+."  when in fact with simple E-mail instructions the
seller discovers fungus or scratches they never noticed.  A recent seller of
Anniversary Speed Graphic listed the lens as "clear."  After holding the lens up
to a strong light source "a small spider web pattern" was apparent as well as
"other small scratches."

Also novice sellers on Ebay will sell large format equipment under collectibles
instead of large format.  That costs the seller an important market, but some of
the better bargains are items that are listed in the wrong category.

Another bargain hunter tip that takes extra work is the ginsu knifes.  I bought a
$150 anniversary graphic in bad shape.  What the title didn't mention but the
picture showed and description mentioned were two Grafmatics and six riteway film
holders.  Sold the film holders and Grafmatics, made more than the $150 and still
had the Graphic.  Now that's a bargain!  Felt a little guilty.  The Grafmatics
were at a peak in pricing at the time I bought.  Sold separately I bet he could
have got $250 for them alone.  Unfortunately, prices fell before I could sell.

Todd