In The Vernacular
By Milan Zahorcak
To help the less experienced collectors get ready for the spring camera shows, the Self-Appointed Committee to Clarify Our Language Usage (SACCOLU--SAC O' for short) has put together a glossary of important words and phrases--and what they really mean, when used at a camera show.
Antique older than the dealer
Old as old as the dealer
Early younger than the dealer
Classic as old as the dealers oldest kid
Collectible for sale
Modern once used by the dealers kid, batteries are dead, may be broken
User not completely broken
Sophisticated too complicated to use, and hard to hold
Ergonometric too complicated to use, but easy to hold
Interesting ugly
Unusual ugly
Uncommon one of the few the dealer still has left
Acquire to pay way too much, see also 'temporary insanity'
Naylem to acquire at auction by simply leaving one's hand up the entire time
Floggoff to sell something awful without shame or remorse
Scarf to snatch up a great piece for almost nothing, then disappear
Find to pay less than you expected
Buy to pay more than you expected
Steal see 'scarf,' unless you actually did steal something
Temporarily insanity a purchase which results in instant regrets, see also 'acquire''
Stanhopeless to search for to no avail
Condition Codes
New, in the box almost new, with a box
New almost new without a box
As new used, but sold 'as new'
Like new used, but not engraved
Mint not heavily used or engraved
Ex+++ not heavily used, may be engraved
Ex+ heavily used and engraved
Ex still recognizable as a camera
Ex- no longer recognizable as a camera
Very good may not be a camera
C10 anything 'Ex' or above
C9...etc. anything below 'Ex'
Will cleanup ugly and dirty
Repairable broken
Restorable badly broken
Restored cleaned by dealer
Professionally ___ ___ by someone else (restored, cleaned, adjusted, calibrated, serviced)
Recently ___ ___ at some time
Brassing worn out
Ding bashed repeatedly
Cleaning marks any scratch, gouge, or chip in the lens
Fungus mushrooms growing between elements
Hazy, foggy, etc. lens cleaned with steel wool and abrasives
Inop badly broken
Sluggish something moves, but not in useful manner
Terms, Catch-Phrases (precise definitions vary)
Daguerrean equipment wooden camera, pre-1900
Wet-plate camera wooden camera
wet Plate-camera any of the above, found in the Pacific Northwest
Museum piece older than the dealer
Early Polaroid film no longer available
Collectible Polaroid a lie
Leica copy not a wooden camera
Invaluable Phrases Required for Successful Bargaining
It's ________ for it's age (in good shape, excellent, nice, etc.)
You don't find them like this anymore
It's a sleeper
It's the best I've ever seen
This was my first camera
This was my fathers first camera
This was my grandfathers first camera
This camera belonged to _______ (historical figure; Hitler, Teddy Roosevelt, etc.)
This camera was used by ______ (famous photog; Fox Talbot, Brady, etc.)
This camera was used to photograph the______ (famous event; Civil War, Hindenburg, etc.)
Can you still get film for it?
You can still get film for it
It still has film in it
What are you asking for it?
It seems a bit high
Is that your best price?
Mckeown says
It's not in Mckeown
Make me an offer
I paid more than that for it
Let me think about it