One thing that would concern me, with respect to the 1c, is whether it's truly working properly. Looking at photos, I see springs, cams, etc - lots of small bits and pieces. Since so many sellers are not knowledgeable about what they're selling, how does a buyer who is not familiar with the 1c know that it's "all there and working" (beyond the obvious negative carrier, lensboards)?
No doubt missing parts or broken items from un-knowledgeable seller are can be a problem no mater what enlarger (or other item) you buy.
With any Autofocus enlarger you should look for one with matching lens/cam serial numbers....... If your auto-focus enlarger does not Auto-Focus whats the point?
I would look and/or inquire about the lens type, vintage, and condition as well. AND BE SURE ITS THERE
I would check on the baseboard condition for warping and de-lamination.
With Leitz enlargers, Easels are important accessories that really add to the value.
On Leitz enlargers I would look for easel locking hardware, it is nice to have and nearly impossible to come by second hand.
On all of these press enlargers, the condenser needs to be checked (doubly so since it rests on negative) they are sometimes chipped or damaged.
Negative carriers are hard to come by on all of these. Be sure its there. A replacement often demands the same price as entire enlarger.
It is much better to buy from someone who used it, since they are in a better position to attest that it works properly and is not damaged but at the same time you may find one for sale for next to nothing and it may be worth the risk that it does not work.......But we all should know the rules of buying a used car apply here, no one can tell you every thing to look out for.
I read somewhere recently that someone bought an enlarger that looked A-KO and found it was bent and couldn't be aligned. How do you look out for that second hand? There is even some possibility the owner was not aware if it was in storage or they got it elsewhere.
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