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The online auction scene for collectible cameras has seen a slow but sure decline in prices for most common cameras over the past year. What I consider "ordinary" collectible cameras have increased in availability and declined in final selling price across the board. While many prices have dropped 20-30%, a few cameras are now receiving winning bids of half of what they received 24 month ago. Unusual and rare items and cameras in exceptional condition are still holding strong, and will, I expect, for at least the middle term.
But something has happened that stands out as a unique example of how a minor segment of the market can change in the blink of an eye.
In two recent auctions for an Argus C3 Matchmatic 35mm camera, one auction ended with a winning bid of $10, the other ended at over $90. The cameras were exactly the same model, and appeared to be in about the same condition. Any knowledgeable camera collector would tell you that the C3 Matchmatic is not rare, not by a long shot. Nor is it even remotely considered valuable, despite its smart two-tone finish. Its monochrome brother, the Argus C3 is still more common. Both cameras share the same clunky operating controls and rectangular body style. As a matter of fact, they are both so rectangular in appearance that any C3 is known simply as the "Brick" in camera collecting circles.
Why, you might ask, could two auctions for essentially the same camera have such different results? It all boils down to marketing. One seller paid attention on a recent trip to the movies, and used common sense in writing his auction description.
Two words, "Harry Potter," were all it took to sell an otherwise mundane collectible camera for a more-than-ordinary price. You see, the Argus C3 Matchmatic has a very visible a role in the second Harry Potter movie. Harry's friend Colin Creevy uses it in several scenes. Because of its easily recognized colors scheme and shape, you can't miss it when it's on the big screen. It has become an instant movie collectible, thereby crossing over the invisible but distinct barrier separating camera collectors and movie memorabilia fans.
One might say that "The race is on" so to speak. Some sellers are even trying to get in on the game by offering the all black C3 as a Harry Potter camera look-a-like.
How far will the craze go and how long will it last? I don't know, but you can bet I'll be watching all the way.
References:
Argus Matchmatic camera in Colin's
hands: http://www.photojunkie.org/archives/colincreevey.html
Harry Potter camera on offer on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2152782724
Harry Potter camera sold for $91:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1948044477
Argus Matchmatic without "Harry Potter" mentioned:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1949110550
Argus C3 "Brick" being touted as a "Harry Potter" camera:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30099&item=1950149493
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