[LargeFormat] Request for opinion

[Ole Tjugen]

Dear uncle Dick,

As I have recently stated on the forum, I spend far too much money on eBay. 
Due to a combination of selection, postage and price, I prefer to use ebay.de 
- the German site. 
Many sellers there claim they will only send to Germany, but I have always got 
a positive reply when I ask (before bidding) if they will ship to Norway. I 
believe they say this only to avoid some buyers in the former East Block 
Countries who have a bad reputation. I seem to remember sonething about a 
Bulgarian who bought a lot of stuff a while ago, paying with bad checques. 
Some of the sellers had actually sent the stuff off before they discovered...

Of course, it helps having some small knowledge of German when surfing 
ebay.de...

I do occasionally find some things on eBay.com or ebay.co.uk, but both good 
German optics (Schneider, Rodenstock, Voightl=E4nder etc.) and Linhof gear are 
more plentiful - and generally cheaper - on ebay.de. The same for Kiev, 
Topcon, Meopta, (postwar) Carl Zeiss Jena and other "Ostie" brands.

The interesting stuff will mostly be in

Foto und Optik > Kameras Sonstige > Grossformat


Cousin Ole


>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Original Message From "rstein" <rstein@bigpond.net.au> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>Dear Friends,
>
>     I need some advice. You may wish to give it discretely via direct email
>or openly on this list. The request is genuine.
>
>     I have a book on Soviet cameras that lists a lot of the little ones -
>it also has details of the larger plate cameras that were made as
>professional units. Wooden folding tailboard cameras and the like. Crude
>stuff but very sturdy and presumably workable.
>
>     I note that these come up from time to time on eBay out of some
>sections of the old Soviet Union. Prices seem reasonable. Delivery via air
>mail is promised in the advertisement. There are apparently many expressions
>of satisfaction on the site from other customers.
>
>     My delicate question is - are these transactions viable from this area?
>Is sending a bid and then eventually a bank draught going to result in a
>camera or just silence? Has anyone had real experience with these things?
>
>     The reason I ask is family experience using the eBay here in
>Australia. My daughter sold off a bunch of old clothing on it and I was able
>to watch the process from one end - complex but honest. I tried to sell a
>toy sewing macine on the net and so far the transaction seems to be a
>phantom thing - I have the goods ready but the winning bidder has sent no
>money. I am starting to be suspicious....
>
>    Okay - please advise. All advice kept strictly private, except if it is
>reaally good and then I'll sell it on eBay....
>
>    Uncle Dick
>
>
>
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