I did it again

reverend jay · Aug 18, 2008

I was looking through the bay and noticed another Rolleiflex for cheap. Turns out there is a little story behind it which your guess is as good as mine if it is true or not, although it does appeal to my sense of romance.
Anyway I put in a bid for $200 just on a whim since that was the starting bid and wound up winning it. Towards the end I was hoping to be outbid since I really don't need another TLR, but alas it's mine now I guess.
Anyway check it out if you want to read it's history and let me know if you think I got a good deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=140258593158

arigram · Aug 18, 2008

It makes me wonder why that guy sold it in the first place. Was he so desperate about money? Did he have a fight with his mother?
Good job reverend.

Nick Merritt · Aug 18, 2008

Lovely camera -- too bad we don't have any pictures of his mother from her salad days! But, he refers to the camera's meter working properly; this camera has no meter (at least, the one in the pictures doesn't). I'll be curious to see what you get.

MartinB · Aug 18, 2008

Let us know if he includes the pictures he references in fine print in the listing! Not sure if that classifies as "romance" or not but ...

reverend jay · Aug 18, 2008

He emailed me saying that his mother was a playboy bunny and that the camera was used to shoot a lot of famous bands and models. Apparently this was his first listing and he wanted to put a reserve of $275 on it but for some reason he didn't so his loss is my gain I guess. Should be a nice addition to the collection.

NormanV · Aug 18, 2008

I'm sorry to be a pessimist but the description, as such, does not match the camera. No meter, as Nick pointed out and the seller refers to huge pictures to check the camera out, they are normal size. But most worrying of all there is not one shot of the lens without the cap. Good luck!

reverend jay · Aug 18, 2008

yeah it certainly does look odd but I guess I'll see when it shows up.......

elekm · Aug 18, 2008

The description was very poorly written, and once again another person confuses "it's" with "its."

I find it a bit sad that the seller refers to it as "cherished" but off it goes to eBay to the highest bidder. I guess "cherished" is relative. Or in this case, it's not.

Like the others have noticed, the description and the camera don't exactly match, and I'm wondering which camera will arrive. If this is the camera, it appears to be a good deal for $200.

NormanV · Aug 18, 2008

Yes, I should have said that. If the lens is as good as the rest of the camera it won't be a bad deal. I recently bought a Rolleiflex 2.8C with a Xenotar lens for 250 dollars on Ebay. Isn't it fun waiting for the parcel to arrive?

BrianShaw · Aug 18, 2008

reverend jay said:
He emailed me saying that his mother was a playboy bunny ...

I really hope it works out for you... but this is the most unbelievable part of the entire story. Let's face it, friends... do any of us know anybody who's mother is a playboy bunny? Sounds like a wild fantasy to me!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipal_complex

reverend jay · Aug 18, 2008

Whether this dudes mother was a bunny or not really doesn't matter to me but I must say that I am some what intrigued by the fact that Herman Leonard gave this chick the camera back in the 50's. Whether it's true or not is anybody's guess but since I admire his work very much and have a love for jazz I figured I'd take a chance. Either way it's a Rollei and that is more than good enough for me. Although if a Seagul shows up at my house then heads are gonna roll.

Ralph Javins · Aug 18, 2008

Good morning;

Well, thank you for sharing the story with us, Jay. At least it is a cute story, regardless of the writer's command of the English language. It is a pity that the name of the former camera owner was not provided to enable confirmation of the story.

Although, it does seem to be a bit unusual to suggest that "Playboy type photographs" (my phrasing) will be included as a further inducement to lure a purchaser. Who knows? Stranger things have happened, and there is no legal requirement that literary skills must be passed on to the progeny of someone "well known and endowed."

geoferrell · Aug 18, 2008

The Rollei TLR cameras are great. Looks like you've got a good user. The first one I used I had to learn how to load the film. Some of them you have to put the film under the first roller and then onto the windup spool.

Vaughn · Aug 18, 2008

I wish you the best! The camera pictured has no meter, yet the description says it does (and that it works and is calibrated). No photos of the lenses. Oh well...time will tell! $200 for a user Rollei is a good deal these days.

Vaughn

Perhaps it was the mis-matching of the image and the Ebay listing's description is why no one else bid on it. There was a Rollie 3.5E made in 1956 that had a meter.

Andy38 · Aug 19, 2008

Hello , my experience :

I have bought , here , in France , a Rolleiflex MX-EVS three months ago : it looks nice , near mint and mechanics works well .
Two rollfilms later , I was disappointed : poor results , even at f 8 ; and yet the Tessar looks nice at first sight .
No fungus , no cloud .
But many very very small scratches on the lens , on two sides .
It is possible to repair mechanics , but the lens...?

I sincerely hope it will not be so for you .

Trask · Aug 19, 2008

"Pictures of Lily" -- I trust everyone remembers that song by The Who. Maybe "Lily" was well-known to British young men growing up in the late 50's/early 60's. Here are some lyrics, which would allude to Lily being an attractive lady:

I used to wake up in the morning
I used to feel so bad
I got so sick of having sleepless nights
I went and told my dad

He said, 'Son now here's some little something'
And stuck them on my wall
And now my nights ain't quite so lonely
In fact I, I don't feel bad at all

Pictures of Lily made my life so wonderful
Pictures of Lily helped me sleep at night
Pitcures of Lily solved my childhood problems
Pictures of Lily helped me feel alright

Pictures of Lily
Lily, oh Lily
Lily, oh Lily
Pictures of Lily

reverend jay · Aug 19, 2008

I eventually got a response regarding the meter and he said that he got it confused with another camera (Airiflex 16mm):rolleyes:
Apparently his mother left him a few cameras before she passed and he doesn't know much about cameras which I think encompasses 90% of the people selling them on ebay. It was kind of an impulse bid and I figured well I'll at least pay $200 for it but no more and I was positive that I would have been outbid since they generally go for at least $300...........well no dice. I guess I'll see what shows up at the door. The auction does say that he takes returns so I will be sending it back if there is any fungus or scratches.

reverend jay · Aug 25, 2008

So I received the Rolleiflex today and it is way better than I expected. The lenses look great, shutter speeds are correct even at 1 second, condition is far better than I expected and hardly has any real wear at all on it. There was even a roll of E6 inside.........could it be naked pictures of Lily?
Anyway I am very pleased with it and for $200 it was a steal.........easily worth $350

Jeff Kubach · Aug 25, 2008

Looks like you got a winner. I would say that your Rolleiflex is worth more than $350. It would be neat to see the images on the film.

Jeff

Nick Merritt · Aug 26, 2008

Congratulations! Enjoy it.

Mark Antony · Aug 26, 2008

Trask said:
"Pictures of Lily" -- I trust everyone remembers that song by The Who. Maybe "Lily" was well-known to British young men growing up in the late 50's/early 60's. Here are some lyrics, which would allude to Lily being an attractive lady:

I doubt it could possibly be the same Lily as in the song 'she's been dead since 1929' so likely this is the who's Lilly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Langtry

reverend jay · Aug 26, 2008

Yeah I really can't figure out who this guy is talking about but this person could have possibly been a playboy bunny in the 50's or 60's.......I don't even know when playboy first came to be. I think she was definitely a model but narrowing that down would be impossible. Who ever she is though this particular camera was supposedly given to her by Herman Leonard which I think is the coolest part.

reverend jay · Sep 7, 2008

Mark Antony said:
I doubt it could possibly be the same Lily as in the song 'she's been dead since 1929' so likely this is the who's Lilly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Langtry

I was very curious about the story so I actually emailed Herman Leonard himself just on a goof not thinking I would hear anything back. Well wouldn't you know it Mr. Leonard responded an I must say it was a true honor.
Anyway he said that he didn't think........ah hell let me just post what he said:

Dear Mr. Eiser,
Your e-mail provoked a lot of memories for me. Those years were
wonderful. As for the Rollie, I can't conceive of having "given" a Rollie
to "Lily" since I was still a struggling photographer, not quite rich enough to give away
such an expensive camera. And the only "Lily" I can remember was that
well-known professional stripper Lilly Saint Cyr who I had photographed while
still in New York before moving to Paris.
Whoever she got the camera from was a very generous person and you are the lucky inheriter
of that beautiful piece of equipment.
Cheers,
Herman Leonard

So I now I'm on a mission because curiosity has gotten the best of me. I emailed the seller of the camera to see if this particular Lily is his mother......so hopefully he will respond and I can get to the bottom of this.
When I received the camera there was a roll of E6 in it..........Maybe I should develop it

Mark Antony · Sep 9, 2008

Interesting story! I love it when gear has a history, makes it more personal. I'd love to know who owned my Rollei and see pictures taken with it. Your seller seems to think the camera took pictures of many musicians in the 50's and 60's, it would be great to verify that.
Good luck
Mark
P.S Dev that E-6!!

reverend jay · Sep 11, 2008

I got a response from the seller of the camera and he said that this particular Lily was not his mother and that he was not in the "Mood" to go tabloid. He was completely pi$$ed about selling the camera for so cheap. He forgot to put a reserve on it and regrets selling it now. He apparently is mad at me for "burning" him on the deal.
Oh well I guess we'll never know the true story but this guy sounds like an a$$

I did it again

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