Expert: David Silver - 1/29/2012

Question
My mother and I are in possession of numerous boxes of old camera equipment that originally belonged to my grandfather. These are part of my grandmother's estate. We are trying to find a way to identify them and get estimates but are not sure how to proceed. Could you please head us in the right direction? Thank you in advance for your help.

Answer

Hello Jim,

Can I assume your intent is to liquidate the equipment?  If so, I know it seems like a daunting endeavor, but I can make it all very easy for you.  Here's what I recommend you do.  Make a list.  A simple list.  It doesn't have to be detailed, it doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be organized on a spread sheet or any other advanced data entry program, it just needs to show the maker's name and whatever model name you can find on each camera or each separate lens that is not actually attached on a camera.  For now, don't worry about accessories or little bits that defy description.  That will come later.  Okay, type the list into the computer, put it on a simple Word document (to be saved as a basic .doc file), or even on a page in your computer's Text Edit or whatever other "pad" function you have (in which case it will be saved as an even simpler .rtf file).  Do it quickly, be sloppy, mess up the spelling, it doesn't really matter because I'll understand what you're providing.  The point is that you can e-mail the list to me, and then I can see the overall breadth and depth of the collection.  Once I make an initial general evaluation, THEN we'll know how to proceed.  But nothing else needs to be done, or realistically CAN be done, until we first learn if it's WORTH doing.  You don't have to waste any time or effort in cleaning any of it (in fact, it is highly recommended you DO NOT attempt to clean anything), you don't have to do any grueling "research" to identify any of it, you don't have to fall into the heinous trap of tracking eBay sales, and you don't have to take pictures of anything yet.  Seriously, ALL you have to do right now is type down a bunch of names, and I'll figure things out from there.  Trust me, anything ELSE you do will prove to be counter productive, so resist the urge to do ANY of it.  Just make that list, a simple dirty sloppy little list, which should take less than an hour to do; pull the cameras and separate lenses out of the boxes and quickly type down the maker and model of each, enter them line by line, and from that alone I'll gain a very good understanding of what you have.  Send it to the e-mail address I've provided below, and I'll get right back to you with my opinions and further recommendations.  From there, I promise, I'll make the rest as easy and stress free as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

David F. Silver - President
International Photographic Historical Organization

silver@photographyhistory.com