Very sad crown graphic story

About this time last year, I started itching to do larger format again. Coincidentally, I

spotted a crown graphic in an antique store. I was in fine shape. The rangefinder was

bright, the shutter worked on all speeds and it was only moderately dusty. The leather

was fine, and it came with a case full of accessories, although they were mostly no good.

 

It was $225, and at the time I didn't know that that was a reasonable price. The seller was

not there and the people at the register assured me he would not reduce the price. (For

$200 I would have taken it.) So I started watching ebay and eventually got myself a rather

nice one for $107. I was happy. I love to shoot with it.

 

I never quite forgot the one at the antique store. Yesterday I was back there, and there it

was. I had visions of giving it a good home... and then I opened it up. Someone had

stolen the lens, complete with shutter and lensboard. Also, someone had obviously not

known how to open it and pried it open. The trim that says "GRAFLEX" was broken off and

in little pieces in the bottom of the case. The leather around the top of the front was

rather mangled from prying. And it was still $225.

 

It such a shame. I wish I had bought it in the first place now. I could have given it a good

home and put it to use.

Sad indeed. Did you tell them what you've noticed? Did they care?

 

In a photo shop here the owner, a nice lady, has an impressive collection of classics exhibited on a few shells. No large format, but everything else. From plate folders to half-frame rangefinders, several rollei-, iko- and other flexes, a beautiful contax IIa with a sonnar, kievs and other FSU stuff, a multitude of 120-format folders from super ikonta to the cheapest isolette... I tried to persuade her to part with the contax for some $ but she said no way. Now that i'm single again, i consider trying other ways... ;)

That's a very interesting idea. There are many camera whores here but perhaps not in that way!!!

That makes me very sad, indeed. I'm a Gralex nut that hates it when people butcher a good, or even repairable one of these things. The world is getting to be full of nut cases. It's a diminishing gene pool, I tells ya!

I did tell the people who were at the store, but it's one of those stores where dozens of

different sellers rent space. It sounds like the guy who has the camera is rarely if ever

there.

Yunno what I can't stand? When you go into a shop and there is a row of old cameras and you inquire and they say: "Not for sale...just a display".

 

That steams me. Especially if one of the items is attractive to me. If I was more proactive I'd perhaps say, "May I offer you an incentive of mixed cash/promissory notes/option on first born?"

 

But I ain't so I fume.

 

M.