Looking For Assistance In Finding A Vintage Graflex

[Sonic10]

Hello!

I have decided that it’s finally time to get myself a Vintage Graflex. It has been a very long time since I’ve done any research into how to spot a Vintage vs a Replica, so I spent a few hours reading through the entirety of both the “Graflex Variations: Facts and vs. Replica” thread and “The Ultimate Luke ANH Graflex Research and Discussion Thread”. Needless to say I feel a LOT more informed on the topic, but I still do not trust myself to accurately identify and differentiate a real Graflex from a replica.

So I was hoping to get some direct advice and assistance from the experts on here! With so many replicas being made today, and with better accuracy than ever, what are the best tells that a Graflex is a replica? What do you look for in a Graflex listing that makes you certain it’s a Vintage? What are Vintages worth these days?

Lastly, if anyone could help me find a good quality Vintage Graflex I would greatly appreciate it! Right now I’m looking to have one converted to the ANH variation, and then sent to Master Yoda of the FX-Saber forum to install his chassis system. With that in mind, I want to go all out on this project, and make this crowning piece in my collection. Thank you to everyone in advance!

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

There is a vintage Graflex for sale right now here on the RPF in the Junkyard.

My advice is to be active on the RPF to get JY access and then buy a real Graflex from a trusted member. Less to worry about and more than likely a better price then EBay.

 

[Sonic10]

There is a vintage Graflex for sale right now here on the RPF in the Junkyard.

My advice is to be active on the RPF to get JY access and then buy a real Graflex from a trusted member. Less to worry about and more than likely a better price then EBay.

Thanks James! Is it the one being sold by Onderon? Would the lack of the “3 Cell” stamp on the end cap be an issue for conversion to ANH?

I also saw a 2 Cell for sale from teecrooz, but while I like the condition of the upper part better, I don’t know if it’s the right Graflex version for ANH. And of course I’d then need to find a 3 Cell lower part. Do people often mix and match tops and bottoms to make their sabers?

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

I guess you’ve got to balance what you want with accuracy and how much you want to spend.

If you’re wanting to go full ANH, you’ll want to carefully review the Threads you mentioned and get a Folmer Graflex with straight pins, Folmer specific red button and glass eye, Folmer clamp with Folmer specific lever, and obviously a Folmer bottom tube.

If you’re wanting a true Folmer Graflex the prices are going to be higher both on the RPF and on EBay. Because most of the replica makers now make Folmer units (Romans, KR, 89, etc..), if you go the EBay route you will really need to know how to spot a replica vs a real one.

If you’re wanting to get a real Graflex and you’re not made of money and willing to be patient, I recommend getting any real Graflex in good condition be it Folmer, Inc, or a mix of both and get to saber building. You can make it an ANH version and upgrade with better parts as they become available (i.e. buy a Folmer top with Inc clamp and Inc bottom and upgrade the Inc parts at a later time).

Don’t let price or availability keep you from building a lightsaber.

Another option is pick up any real Graflex that you love and can afford to ‘scratch the itch’ but don’t convert it (yet). Then pick up a replica Folmer and convert that to an ANH Luke so you’ll have both a real Graflex and an accurate Luke lightsaber. You’ve got lots of options and a lot depends on your budget and what/how you want to do things.