Was this Graflex eBay auction a replica?

[James Kenobi 1138]

On the original models, with the telegraph style button, they painted the lines in the top shell and the clamp letters and lines black. All the real clamps I've worked with either had the paint or grime in the lines.

Honestly I thought they all had it unless they had been cleaned with acetone.

 

[Cenobyte]

There's no black paint in the "GRAFLEX" on the band. I know it's not 100%, but that alone makes me question it.

I have 2 real 3-cells and a real 2-cell and the 2-cell clamp does not have black in the lettering.

 

[Jm419]

Well, there ya go. It's just a subtle detail that, at least, guarantees it's an original if it's there.

 

[Jedifather]

I have 2 Parks Graflex, and one thing I just noticed is that on the Parks, "NEW YORK" is spelled out:

Parks

And on the one in the auction, it's just "NY"

auction

 

[parfaitelumiere]

for me it's a real one,real good condition.

 

[scottjua]

Right. The parks uses an early variation as the base to replicate. Not a patented or mid variation.

I have 2 Parks Graflex, and one thing I just noticed is that on the Parks, "NEW YORK" is spelled out:

View attachment 217001Parks

And on the one in the auction, it's just "NY"

View attachment 217006auction

 

[Kamin Ressik]

Deanb sells these all the time on eBay. I bought an upper from him this year. Mine looked untouched but under careful examination by blowing up the pics it seems very apparent that he lightly sands the hilts to clean them up. You can often see some brass showing around the beer tab rivet or near the red button/glass eye raised portion. This leads me to believe he uses a buffing wheel of some kind and goes too far and removes the plating a bit.

I would not be happy to get one only to find that the plating has been buffed off.

Also the black lettering is accurate with or without. There are MANY variations of a real vintage. There are a few great threads that detail all of the differences.

Deanb is a pleasure to deal with. My one transaction with him was flawless.