Was this Graflex eBay auction a replica?

[Runner]

Vintage Graflex 3 Cell Star Wars Luke Skywalker Lightsaber | eBay

I've never seen an original Graflex this clean before.

 

[JoeG]

I've seen some very clean ones before but they all showed some kind of wear on the pins in the sockets. This one doesnt show any of that. If they were selling it with the original box and papers, I might believe that it was new old stock, but like this? Seems fake to me.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

It is extremely clean.

Something about the way the body forms around the end cap looks like a Parks to me.

 

[lgtsbr]

I have to think real, look at the close up picture of the end, there is a patent number there, no replica that I have seen has that number

Dave

 

[Jedi-72]

The finish kind of looks like a Parks to me. But the contacts on the socket above the eye look aged just like they do on both of my mint Graflexes. The pins are way too clean and look like repros to me.

 

[Serenity]

For what it's worth, the seller has a pretty good history and rep of offering authentic Graflex parts. I know quite a few members here have purchased real clamps from him without issue.

 

[Cenobyte]

PI think the seller is a member here.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

For what it's worth, the seller has a pretty good history and rep of offering authentic Graflex parts. I know quite a few members here have purchased real clamps from him without issue.

It's probably real then, sometimes it's hard to tell.

 

[Trooper_trent]

Parks has a screw on the rabbit ears so it doesn't swivel. This one has the rivet. The finish on it, while extremely clean (too clean, in fact) does look real to me. On repros either the edges aren't as sharp or the finish has more of an aluminum look rather than a plated brass look.
I'd like to have seen the inside as well, but I'm going to go with real. I just can't imagine that it made it this far with no aging whatsoever. Must have been in the original box in a plastic wrapper kept out of the sun for over 70 years.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Yeah, it doesn't have any of the tell-tale signs of being a replica. So, if it is a replica, it's an AMAZING one.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Has anyone bought a new Parks replica recently?

I have noticed he constantly upgrades and makes improvements, I wonder if his current Graflexs are more accurate than the ones we all got so many years ago.

 

[JoeG]

Certainly not trying to impugn the seller's reputation, as even the best of us can not always know what we have sometimes. Perhaps its just the harsh lighting that makes it seem as clean as it does. The pics look like they were taken at high noon. It could be washing out a lot of detail in the photos. There are some oddities, to be sure, but I'll guess we'll never know unless the buyer posts here. With the replicas coming out of China getting better and better, I'm just glad there are threads here like this - http://www.therpf.com/f9/graflex-variations-facts-vs-replica-144206/ to help us be more educated about these things.

 

[Jm419]

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

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

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've never seen a real clamp that didn't have either black paint in the clamp or worn black paint in the clamp.

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi there,

These are always real graflex flashguns ... I have dealt with Maurice a.k.a. deanb0214 on many occassions ... I don't know where he gets these graflex flashguns from, probably estate sales and he cleans them up as good as he can ... he's a real pleasure doing business with and . . . if you mention my name ... perhaps you can get a little discount as well if you buy more graflex parts with a flashgun, such as another red button ... so REAL GRAFLEX STUFF folks ... check his account regularly though.

-Chaim

 

[scottjua]

It's real. However and Chaim says they are cleaned up. I have it from one source that he sands them or does a surface treatment of some sort to "clean them up" and make them look better than they were/are. Take that as heresay as I have no direct experience. Just what I was told.

As for parks replicas there are plenty of tells.

From Jeff's mouth on the replicas: the original tooling was used on all of the replicas. There is a finite number of them from the batch and when they are gone there will not be any more made. He's running out or low and that will be it. He said it was a huge investment to make them and he and his partner who owns the toolin won't be doing them ever again.

I'm pretty sure I have that info correct.

- - - Updated - - -

I've never seen a real clamp that didn't have either black paint in the clamp or worn black paint in the clamp.

I've had both real with and without black lettering. It seems the older versions didn't have black lettering. That or it's all be pretty consistently missing even in excellent condition.

 

[Trooper_trent]

Neither of my real ones had paint on the clamp. Grime and dirt does build up in those grooves. I always though that's what it was, as it easily lifts out by lightly picking at it with a tooth pick or exacto blad.

 

[Clutch]

I have three real ones and an extra clamp. None have had black lettering.

 

[HermesBlackstar]

Looks real to me.
Just because it's that clean doesn't make it a replica. However, it does make you want to ask tons of questions to the seller--where they got it, etc.
The price is right for one that clean, though.

 

[Jerome]

I've always wondered where this seller gets his flashes from. Seeing his feedback, he dates back about 6 years of consistently selling Graflex 3-cells.