Topic: Fotron Find!

[jscott1]

I just had to share this little piece of wonderful! I went to the thrift shop yesterday and found this little Fotron III gem, complete with case and tons of paperwork. When I got home, I started looking through all the paperwork that was with it. Knowing nothing about this particular camera's history, I was shocked by the contract price of almost $500.00 in 1967. (BTW: my purchase price was $6.99) Dear Doris Davis, the proud owner of this camera had every single money order and stub from paying this camera off - from 1967 to 1970 when she mailed in her last payment.

There were a few papers in the stack that eluded to the fact that this might be a door to door thing, and as I did some online research, I found out that I was right but it gets so much better! Apparently there was a class action suit from some very mad customers being duped into paying $500.00 for this camera when in fact it might have only been worth about $40.00. It was marketed towards the housewife who needed a "simple" camera (unlike her husbands more complicated cameras)

I wonder if Doris ever got in on that class action suit...

I love when I get a history to go along with my cameras. Now, if I could only find a snapload cartridge for this monster!




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[Ed Wenn]

I love getting a load of paperwork and what-not with an old camera purchase; it really adds to the excitement. The back story about the class action suit is even better. Quite a find.

One of my Polaroid Land Cameras (I think it was the 360 which I use all the time still) came with some documentation confirming the place, date and price of the original sale to a gent in the US military, somewhere in Texas. There have been other bits and pieces, but this is the one that comes to mind. Not a patch on the Fotron story though.

[Phil Bebbington]

wow! What a great story! The thought that poor Mrs Davis paid $500 for the camera back in 1967 really made my heart ache.

I hope you manage to use it.

[Diane Peterson]

wow! Jen..  that was a great find! You are lucking out on the cameras lately!

[Francois]

Well...that's a rarity indeed! I don't know how many people got suckered into buying one at that price?
Somehow, it reminds me of the company who used to sell a cheap point & shoot camera with 99 free rolls of Kodak film. They used to have ads on TV back in the early 90's. Got one of these cameras at a garage sale and it still had the booklet of tear-out coupons you had to include with the exposed film in order to get a free one... A total ripoff.

[jscott1]

Diane: I will definitely have to Pay it forward! I love them all, like little plastic and metal kids!

Speaking of rip out tickets....the Fotron paperwork also included stamps for film and I think other things from Traid corp. I think Doris must have been saving them because there were very few if any gone from the booklet!

I like to think that Doris got her money back by getting in on the class action suit...otherwise, it is just a sad state of affairs! She was very timely and a heck of a record keeper!!

[original_ann]

What a wonderful story and an amazing find!!!