Is it live or is it Graflex? lol

[Clutch]

Someone here sold me this and I can't remember what is repro and what is not. The clamp is definitely a repro. I'm trying to figure out if the upper or lower tubes are fake as well. The bottom is grungier than the top. Any pros have anything to say?

 

[Chingon]

Looks pretty real to me. Someone would have to go to great lengths to reproduce the weathering on the pins and the corrosion inside to pass that off as real. Doubt anyone would do that.

 

[Delmustator]

That looks vintage to me. My replica Graflex tube does not show wear anything near that.

 

[falcon dude]

There is no patent number on the bottom of the tube. Real ones have a patent number along with the "Made by the Folmer Graflex Corp. Rochester NY USA"
It has to be a replica, or at least the bottom half is. If youre saying the clamp is also a replica, then its likely all the parts are.

Also, I cant tell from the picture but the real ones have the little ears held on by a rivet (visible on the 3rd picture) anhd the replicas are a screw. What is that? a rivet or a screw?

 

[Hecubus114]

possibly a real top with a parks bottom...

 

[Treadwell]

There is no patent number on the bottom of the tube. Real ones have a patent number along with the "Made by the Folmer Graflex Corp. Rochester NY USA"

Not necessarily...there are a lot of variations in the bottom stamping.

 

[Clutch]

I seem to remember him saying either the top or bottom was a repro, not both. Wish I could remember who it was. The grips are metal. The inside of the upper part around where the slots fit into the clamp have been ground/sanded.

 

[Delmustator]

There is no patent number on the bottom of the tube. Real ones have a patent number along with the "Made by the Folmer Graflex Corp. Rochester NY USA"
It has to be a replica, or at least the bottom half is. If youre saying the clamp is also a replica, then its likely all the parts are.

Also, I cant tell from the picture but the real ones have the little ears held on by a rivet (visible on the 3rd picture) anhd the replicas are a screw. What is that? a rivet or a screw?

That looks like a rivet to me. I just looked at my Graflex V and it has a flat tip screw head.

 

[dcarty]

I agree completely that that top appears genuine. The bottom definitely looks like a Parks-- the flatness of the bottom plate and the seam are a dead giveaway.

Dave

 

[yodakiller1138]

I'm no expert, by any means,and I own 2 real mint graflexs, but it looks real to me. Don't think anyone would go to all that trouble to fake the corrosion.

 

[WarpedScale]

I believe the biggest difference between real and replica Graflexes is the use of bakelite at the top of the flash where the bulb goes. Bakelite is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin vs the polyurethane a replicator would use.

There are some specific methods to tell if it's bakelite and then you should know if it's real or not. Try the 6th bullet down method.

http://www.worldint.com/science/bakelite.html

Ryu

 

[TheRealMcFly]

Def looks like a genuine top to me. Has the rivet for the ears, and that faint silvery appearance on the pins, where it is not worn. We're original Graflex pins plated?

Though, I'm pretty certain your red button is a Parks replica. The knurling on an original is sharp.

 

[Treadwell]

I forget what it was, but there was a tell on the bottom stamping of the Parks version. Might be covered by the D-Ring.

 

[Clutch]

I'll try the scrubbing bubbles test on the bakelite. I assume you are talking about the big pin sticking out of the top. It never occurred to me that there might be a replica button or glass eye on this thing.

 

[KaanE]

The clamp also looks a replica, the G is not aligned with the clamp holes. :thumbsup

 

[Westies14]

I'll try the scrubbing bubbles test on the bakelite. I assume you are talking about the big pin sticking out of the top. It never occurred to me that there might be a replica button or glass eye on this thing.

He's actually talking about the black plastic sort of plug, that the metal pin sticks out of.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

There is no patent number on the bottom of the tube. Real ones have a patent number along with the "Made by the Folmer Graflex Corp. Rochester NY USA"
It has to be a replica, or at least the bottom half is. If youre saying the clamp is also a replica, then its likely all the parts are.

Also, I cant tell from the picture but the real ones have the little ears held on by a rivet (visible on the 3rd picture) anhd the replicas are a screw. What is that? a rivet or a screw?

This is 100% not true. Early model graflexes do not have a patent number, they look just like the pic posted. (The reason Parks' repo doesn't ahve a patent number is because he copied an early model graflex)

In fact, the graflex used in the Wampa Cave scene in ESB did not have a patent number on it.

Dan

 

[Excelsior]

Honestly, it looks entirely like a reproduction to me. The inside and outside of the top tube are very clean; the clamp as you've said is a replica; and the bottom with the nomenclature looks very much like a replica as well. Certain places look weathered--the brass pins and the inside of the bottom tube--but, in general, the outside does not seem to have the type of natural weathering I've seen on other original flashes. Just my opinion.

 

[damon5973]

one thng i noticed in holding both was that the real one was way heavier..the one thng that gets me to thing it might be a repro (or atleast the top) is that the layered part is rounded...I forget what my original had, all round or all oval...
another thing that got me were the pins...real pins ( I think) were not rounded at the base...it looks like one is and one isnt...

just my 2 cents

 

[dcarty]

The other tip-off that makes me think the top half is genuine is the on/off switch. Yours has a matt finish to it which is typical of the real thing while the Parks switch is shiney and not as crisp.

I just sold my Parks shell a few weeks ago though I think I have some of the parts left. I'll try to post comparison pics.