New impressions from Ikskele (Latvia)

Hello friends,

Thanks again to Alain for his great overall reportage from the Fair in France! i wanted to be there, unfortunately another Fair was on my plans already ... Each year on 1st sunday of June and September we have a great collector's Fair in small latvian town, called Ikskele. It's only 20 km from Riga.

The Ikskele Fair is the only place in the world, where you can buy Kiev 1947 with CZJ Sonnar 1.5/50 for price of 3 euros ... Unfortunately this time it was not me ... My colegue collector from Lithuania was lucky enough to obtain it. Unfortunately, the partcular camera was modified a lot, but it's still Kiev 1947.

As I have told you before, just few years ago Ikskele Fair was real "Klondike" for camera collectors. I have bought appr. 200 cameras during last 3 years. Now the situation is changing a little bit. Many cameras comes to Germany and Scandinavia directly...

Anyway, this Fair was quite interesting for me. I have bought some very interesting soviet literature about soviet cameras, as well as few cameras, accessories etc. My best purchase this year was prewar FED lightmeter with genuine leather case. Thanks to Jim, I already have one in my collection, but both meters are visually different, so ...

And I need your help here. Two Fed-1 (f) top plate were bought on sunday. One of them has early number #218232 engraved. And another one comes in different colour indeed ... I have never seen this before. Any ideas?


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/Fed-1f_2top-plates.jpg


Best Regards,
Aidas

Hi Aidas,

I, as I'm sure all of us have been reading Alains posts with avid interest. Well done Alain!!!
What now intrigues me is your suggestion to attend the Bievres Camera Fair next year. I think it would be a super idea if as many of us as possible attend and meet up there, I'm sure that we would have a great time.
In fact for me it wouldn't matter which of these camera fairs I were to attend, the Camera Fair at Ikskele sounds equally interesting, but perhaps Bievres would be easier to get to for most of us including members from North America as there are plenty of direct flights to Paris. Anyway, it would be interesting to know who else would be interested in meeting up at one of these camera fairs.
BTW, congratulations on your purchase of the cased Fed light meter.
Regards, Jim.

Hi Aidas,

With regard to the two Fed toplates, it looks to me as though the gold/bronze coloured toplate has been anodised, or electroplated. This would perhaps explain why it is not attached to anything else, as all parts to be treated in this way would need to be seperated and then reassembled when the electroplating process had been completed.
The silver toplate looks natural and was perhaps waiting to have the same treatment done to it. Just my idea! Perhaps someone has a better suggestion

hey men,

if you ask for , and also if i will be on my legs (after all, why not ?) I propose a specific FSU collectors friends "jamboree" in biиvres....: my car will be the meeting center and so i will provide you (whith some french friends)foods and Wines (or beer) for a big pic nic under trees...(may be you can bring a little tent, as shown on pictures) to sleep anight in the forest ?)

Note : Biиvres is not so far from "ORLY" international airport.

Hi Aidas,

I have just had another thought! Is it possible that these two toplates are part of some faking business, though I fail to see why anyone would electroplate a Fed 1 toplate without first re-engraving it with some rare exotic model such as "Fed Flag" or something similar.
Best regards,
Jim.

Hi Alain,
The "jamboree" is a great idea, and I for one would certainly be interested. In fact for me it's easy because I often pass through Paris, (Orley) on my way home to England.
It's a shame that the Ikskele camera fair in Latvia is held at the same time because I would also like to attend that one (with Aidas). Perhaps next year they won't clash.
Anyway I hope that you have a very big car, and lots of beer and wine ready when we all arrive next year.
Best regards,
Jim.

hi Jim,
las , it is a problem....
every year , Biиvres stand 1th week end of june.
but may Iskele fair be more versatile ? ?

so we have time to decide......

Alain, Jim,

It's a great idea to have a collector's meeting next year in France! Let's say 1st sunday of June is already occupied for France, but we still have 1st sunday od September for this year meeting ... . I need to mention, that Ikskele Fair is not specialized for camera collector's, in fact it's for old car and bike fans(to Juhani attention! . But as usual there are many gun, military items, numismatics, old bronze, souvenirs, literature collections as well.

Best Regards,
Aidas

Aidas,

The fair in September sounds great, and the fact that there are guns, medals, coins, old cars and bikes makes it even better.
I wonder if anyone else would be interested in going!

Best Regards,
Jim.

Jim,

I'm ready to take you at Vilnius International Airport and bring to Ikskele directly (it's appr. 260 km), or to meet you in Riga ... Someone else?

Best Regards,
Aidas

Iskele is very easy for me, as Ryanair flies to Riga in 1,5 hours and starting at 9 euros only!

Smena rules

Hi Aidas,

Thanks for your very kind offer, but I think it probably better that I travel directly to Riga so as to minimise visa problems etc,(though I still need to learn about travel requirements for Latvia).
Juhani, you are lucky to be so close, only nine euro's to travel is fantastic. And as an added bonus vintage motorcycles, what more could you ask???!!!!
Anyway Aidas, thanks again. I will check out travel options.
Who else will come?
Best regards, Jim

Hi Aidas,

Good news! I'd forgotten that Latvia is now part of bthe EU, and so I won't need a visa.
So now I can check out flights to Riga.
Cheers, Jim.

Hi Jim,

I'm very happy you already know how big is European Union recently ... You even need no passport to come to Latvia, just your ID in case.

I would be very happy to see all of you at Ikskele fair this September

Best Regards,
Aidas

Aidas,
Thanks. I haven't yet got used to all these new EU members. I am certainly looking forward to the trip and to seeing you, Alain, and Juhani at Ikskele in September, (I assume the fair will be held on the 7th, is that right?)
But hey everybody! Surely we can muster a few more members for this trip! I understand that for some members such as Luiz in Brazil this fair is an awful long way, but many of us are within striking distance.
It would be nice to see some people from North America, (Vlad, Bill, are you listening?).
Joking apart, I think this is a great opportunity for some of us to get together, and if not at Ikskele, then certainly at Bievres in France next year.
Cheers, Jim

Jim,

Correctly - 7th September, I just had a look at my calendar. So we have 3 months left to organize everything properly ...

Best Regards,
Aidas

Jim, unfortunately currently I may not be able to go to Europe as early as September, with a little kid and all, but next year Bievres may be a possibility, just need to talk my wife into it . It's still a year away, so gives me some time to prepare. I will do my best. If I ever make it there, the Vodka is on me.

Vlad

Hi Vlad,
I realise that for many reasons it will be difficult for many of our members to make it to Ikskele in September, so please don't take my suggestion too seriously.
If a few of us can make it to Bievres next year that will be super and something to look forward to.
Bievres is almost one year away and so it gives us time to plan, (and to convince our wives). Also Paris is relatively easy to get to, and sitting under the trees in the evenings drinking wine and comparing our bargains with Alain as our host sounds particularly appealing.
Best regards, Jim

Yes, I am REALLY seriously considering going to Bievres next year at the moment, unless something drastically changes I will try to make it... from my understanding you, Jim, Alain, Aidas, Michel are planning to attend? Who else?

Vlad

I am very tempted too... It is the same time as French Open, too.
We'll see. If Euro does not cross $2 I'll try to go. It would actually cool to get a "table" there and sell something.

French is never closed
And if Euro hits 2 USD then also fuel hits 2 Euros

See what happens when you google "Ikskele" like I did