{"overview":"The Dallmeyer 0.8 inch f\/1.9 Rareac is a small-format fast prime lens from the British maker J.H. Dallmeyer, with a roughly 20mm focal length and an f\/1.9 maximum aperture intended for sub-miniature cine or specialist optical use. It belongs to Dallmeyer's mid-twentieth-century output and is an uncommon item on the secondary market today.","market_narrative":"With only one tracked UK auction hammer result, a single example sold for £150 in January 2023 at saleroom level, which sets the only firm reference point for what this lens is currently worth. Because hammer prices are wholesale levels achieved before buyer's premium, retail asking prices from dealers in 2026 typically sit higher than this figure, and the thin sample size means the value of any individual copy can swing significantly with condition and completeness. Until more comparable sales appear, treat the £150 print as an indicative price rather than a reliable median.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear elements for fungus, haze and cleaning marks, since small high-speed optics of this era often show internal bloom or coating wear that is hard to remove. Check the iris for oil on the aperture blades and confirm the blades snap cleanly across the f\/1.9 to minimum range, and rotate the focus helicoid to feel for stiffness, dry grease or play. Look for any sign of element separation at cemented groups and verify that the mount and any retaining rings are intact, as replacement parts for Dallmeyer specialist lenses are effectively unobtainable.","specs":"Specifications on file are limited to the headline figures: a 0.8 inch (approximately 20mm) focal length, an f\/1.9 maximum aperture and the Rareac designation from J.H. Dallmeyer.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Dallmeyer 0.8 Inch f\/1.9 Rareac worth today?","a":"Based on the only tracked UK auction record, one example sold for £150 hammer in January 2023, so that figure is the best available guide to what the lens is worth at wholesale level today."},{"q":"How much does a Dallmeyer Rareac 0.8 inch f\/1.9 sell for at auction?","a":"The single recorded sale price was £150 at UK auction, though with just one data point the realistic range for a clean, complete copy could sit either side of that number depending on condition."},{"q":"Is the Dallmeyer 0.8 Inch f\/1.9 Rareac rare?","a":"Public auction appearances are very infrequent, with only one verified UK hammer result on file, which makes accurate price discovery difficult and means individual results can vary widely."},{"q":"What should I check before buying one?","a":"Prioritise glass clarity (fungus, haze, separation), clean dry aperture blades, and a smooth focus action, because servicing options for obscure Dallmeyer specialist optics are extremely limited."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Empty SPECS, no variants or facts, and only a single sales record place this well below the threshold for confident pricing or specification commentary."}