P3D RE: polarizers

["McCann, Mart" <MMcCann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have one of those polarizer stories to make all of you groan . . .

In July, while casually scanning the ebay offerings, I ran across a
camera described as a "Seton Rochwite Stereo Realist."  I thought it odd
that a Realist would be described in that manner, so I took a look.
Sure enough, right across the front of the polarizer cover was the name
Seton Rochwite Instruments.  The seller's description made no mention of
polarizers, so I figured that either (a) the seller had no clue what he
was selling, or (b) something other than polarizers were attached to the
front of the camera.  I sent a copy of the auction to my best friend
with a brief message:  does this look like what I think it is?  He
thought so, too.  So the waiting began.  

Over the course of the next few days, the high bid crept over the usual
price for Realist 3.5s, and the seller added a note confirming that
there were polarizers on the camera.   Familiar e-mail addresses
appeared among the bidders.  On the closing day of the auction I asked
my indulgent spouse if I could spend $1,200 on an old gizmo for my
camera (bless his heart, he always says yes) and headed for the office
(the auction conveniently closed during the lunch hour).  With two
minutes to go, and my pal Doralyn monitoring the auction status on
another machine, I submitted my bid (my fingers were literally shaking
on the keyboard).  We waited for what seemed like an hour and finally
she reported that I had been successful . . . . at $886. 

I contacted the seller and discovered that he lives about 25 miles from
where I work, so I told him not to bother with packing for shipment --
I'd come pick it up!  When I arrived, I found a slightly baffled
gentleman who wasn't afraid to ask what the heck was going on.  We sat
down in the kitchen and had a nice chat about stereo cameras and the
scarcity of the polarizers.  And then the inevitable.  I couldn't
resist.  

"Dave, you got this for ten bucks, right?"

"Yup.  Ten dollars at a Monterey flea market."   (Everyone groan in
unison, please)

The polarizers have been installed on an almost-Custom I got from Harry
Poster a while back, and Elliott is using the camera on which they came
for parts.  

Martha McCann


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