Unitron Model 152 4" refractor on A-Mart

Since there is no Unitron Forum here I'll post this here... :S

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=558124

This older fella is just down the road from me, looking for offers and I talked to him this evening. Everything is original, lens from ~30 years old but no date on hand. I can look at this, set up in his living room easily.

Anyone have a good feel what a good value for this would be?

BTW, he also has an old 12" Cave in his observatory he's gonna sell next. Lawdy, lawdy, lawdy...

I really want to get this...timing and everything is right. Told the Missus re the Unitron and making a $3(minimum)-4K+ offer and she didn't bat an eye...a good sign 8)

Pat in Maryland

Thanks James...the owner mentioned he has been inundated with mails (and even calls) and he'd been told of the 8K eBay sale...I peruse eBay now and then but musta missed that one for reference.

Thanks again!

James Witt said:

Pat,

Depending on its condition, completeness etc., how many eyepieces are included, the condition of the wooden boxes, how well it star tests ... I would say $5,000 to $6,500 AREA. The clock drive with weights and linkage could sell EASILY for $3,000 on up (depending on condition), $450 ish for a Super Unihex (if he has one in excellent condition), maybe $350 ish for an excellent condition Super Focuser (don't know if he has one). I would be willing to buy the clock drive myself if he wants to part it out.

A nice model 160 sold elsewhere for $8,000 a few weeks ago.

Currently I am finishing up a the rare metal replica pier for the same model we are discussing.

http://www.pbase.com/smokedaddy/unitron_pier&page=all

-JWW:

Hi James:

Thanks for the good and informative post which I quoted above in a slightly modified form. The link you included was technically and inadvertently a violation of the TOS section 4.2.2. My only alternative is to delete your original, moderators don't have the ability to edit or snip links out of posts. All of your original content is still included above. Sorry about this. I try to moderate with as light a touch as is possible.

Jim

Hi Pat,

Couple comments. The Model 152 currently
offered may not have the complete
original drive linkage. The coupling between
the vertical shaft and RA worm gear is different from
what I have seen on all other units. Also I
generally see a black metal tray on the tripod which
supports the weight drive assembly, but this one
seems to have the wood eyepiece tray with a separate
piece of wood supporting the drive. It appears to
me that the weight drive may have been adapted to the
mount in a "home spun" fashion, rather than using all
original Unitron parts. I could be wrong -- just
reporting what I see.

The Model 160 on the Evil Big Auction Yard was
competively bid to $3700, but then someone did the
"buy it now" at $8000. So its not quite like there
were multiple people bidding it to $8000 in the
normal manner. It certainly might have gone
competitively higher than the $3700 were it not
for the "buy it now." Whether there are more
people willing to go $8000 is unclear.

In terms of value, I know of one similar model
without the drive that went for $3050 at auction
in 2005, and another selling outside an auction for
$2800 last December. (Ignoring a fraudulent
auction and another where the high bidder did not pay.)
One of the weight drives alone sold for $1000 at
auction. So perhaps $3800 - $4000. I'm not sure
if the current market would be "down" or lower
due to economic reasons.

- John B.