# Repair recommendations?



## nealjpage (Feb 18, 2013)

:salute: Good afternoon, TPF.  It's been a few years.  Sorry for the long hiatus--I bought a house, remodeled a house, got married, had a kid, etc.  You know:  life.

I need help determining if I should invest in a camera repair.  Hopefully Dimitri reads this post, though there may be new resident experts that popped up in the past few years.

Several years ago I bought an Ihagee.  It came along with a Leica IIIc, which is really why I got it.  At any rate, the Ihagee's shutter cloths were shot, the paint was a little scuffed up, and it needed a good cleaning, so it just seemed more like a curiosity piece than anything.  I shoved it in a box when I moved into my house and forgot about it.  Well, I moved recently and came across it.  I did a bit more research on it and have determined that it's an Ihagee "Junior" manufactured circa 1933.  Here's a little info:

The rare Ihagee Jr

Long story short, it's worth a whole lot more than the $10 I paid for it.  Apparently there are 13 known to exist; the last one that came up for sale sold for approximately 4,000 euro.  I think that's about $6,000 but don't ask me; I'm no mathematician.  

Like I said, mine doesn't currently work.  I think I'm going to sell it.  I'm wondering if I should invest in getting the shutter cloths replaced and getting a good CLA done on it before I try to sell it or if I should just market it as-is.  Thanks in advance for any guidance.


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## vintagesnaps (Feb 18, 2013)

My camera collecting consists of everything from box cameras to folders to vest pockets, etc. I have a couple of cameras close to 100 years old which I haven't found out much about but doubt they're terribly valuable. 

The closest thing I have to any real value is a Leica I got from a local camera shop where I've made purchases in the past; it has a couple of places where a small bit of leatherette is missing and I plan to leave it in its existing working condition.

I'd think getting it repaired could risk lowering the value. I don't know if a seller/collector would prefer to buy it as-is and then have their own repair done or not. If you get some repair done that might eliminate collectors who want it in original condition, but then again maybe it would attract buyers who want it in working condition. I guess the more valuable it is the more I'd lean toward leaving it as-is. 

When I've bought cameras at an area camera swap it seems like most cameras are sold in the existing condition but perhaps it's just that most of those sellers don't do repairs.

Sharon


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## BrianV (Feb 18, 2013)

It's probably best to sell it as is to a collector. If they want to restore it to working condition, it will probably be very expensive. Best to let it go that route.

I have a pair of Nikon M's bought for $500 for the pair. One is a "No-Sync", the other is a "Sync". One needs a major restoration, the other could be brought back with a standard CLA. I left them in as-found condition use others for shooting.


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## nealjpage (Feb 22, 2013)

Well, I was going to take it to a repair shop in Portland when I was up there that last weekend, but I didn't have a chance.


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## Mike_E (Feb 22, 2013)

Unless you plan to sell it or use it there really is no need.

Using it makes the choice obvious.

Selling it, meh, depends on where you plan to sell it.  There are auction houses that specialize in rare cameras why not get in touch with one of them and ask.  If you want to sell it on ebay as a collector I wouldn't touch it except to dust it.


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## Horngreen (Feb 28, 2013)

I would also leave it as is. I'd be afraid of who would be doing the repair on a camera that rare and unusual.


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