Photographic cameras were a development of the camera obscura, a device dating back to the ancient Chinese and ancient Greeks, which uses a pinhole or lens to project an image of the scene outside, upside-down onto a viewing surface. Although cameras can be traced back hundreds of years, the most popular antique cameras are those from the late 1800s and early 1900s. For anyone who collects
. antique cameras, knowing the value of the item is important for several reasons. Some of these reasons include, but are not limited to, resell value, insurance purposes and bragging rights. There are several different antique price guides that a collector is able to use to determine the exact value of a specific camera. The factors that will influence the value of an antique camera including condition, age and brand. One site that offers a price guide of antique cameras is available at the web address http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/. This site offers a free price guide for more than 20000 classic cameras and 2000 lenses from 1800 manufacturers. When determining the value of a camera the owner has the option to have it appraised by an antique dealer or other professional. However, most of these individuals will use the price guides that are available for free to determine the items value. Another price guide is available at the web address www.eyescoffee.com/collectcamera/. This guide offers different categories of cameras to make the search for a specific brand quick and easy. If an individual is interested in knowing the retail value that their antique camera may sell for a resource that can be used is Ebay. Here the owner of the camera can see what items that are similar to theirs sold for. This can give them a basic idea of what they may actually receive if they sold their item. http://www.antiquecameras.net/ or http://www.eyescoffee.com/collectcamera/
