Gandolfi Precision
The Gandolfi Precision is a British-made large-format wooden field/view camera, a type long associated with the Gandolfi family workshop in London. Cameras of this pattern were hand-built for studio and field use with sheet film, and the Precision name was applied to their higher-grade tailboard and field models.
Sales data for the Gandolfi Precision is thin: a single recorded UK auction hammer result in 2006 sold for £384, which sits at wholesale saleroom level rather than dealer retail. With only one data point, today's value is best treated as indicative, and what a Precision actually sells for in 2026 will hinge heavily on format size, bellows condition and completeness of fittings.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: June 2025
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | EUR 3,200 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 46 (Lot A01507) Title: Gandolfi 8x10" Precision 'the last one'
Description:
Beautiful mahogany field camera for 8x10", in very good condition and working order, bellows lightproof, this is the last of this type ever produced, hand made by the famous Gandolfi camera makers in London (1880-1982), see the included letter of authenticity signed by Frederick Louis Gandolfi, together with an extra 4x5" back, Schneider Repro-Claron 9/355mm (14") no.9886986 with high-refractive-index Thorium element, optics only showing light cleaning marks, mounted in Compur shutter on lens board, Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/480mm no.10198920 with clean and clear optics mounted in Copal-no.3 shutter on lens boards (with both caps), with metal outfit case. Estimate: EUR 4,000 - EUR 5,000 |
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| Oct 2019 | £720 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 414) Title: A Gandolfi Precision Quarter Plate Mahogany Field Camera
Description:
1950-, with Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar f/4.5 135mm lens, serial no. 2462997, body, VG-E, lens, VG, shutter working, slow speeds inaccurate, some internal |
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| May 2006 | £384 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Cameras, Magic Lanterns and Photographs (Lot 282) Title: Precision camera
Description:
Precision camera Estimate: £300 - £500 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Gandolfi Precision worth today?
Based on the limited auction record available, a Gandolfi Precision sold at UK auction for £384 at hammer, though with only one data point the price a given example sells for will vary widely with condition and accessories.
How much does a Gandolfi Precision sell for at auction?
The one recorded UK saleroom result is £384 hammer, excluding buyer's premium; that figure is the only firm value reference currently in our data.
What affects the price of a Gandolfi Precision?
Bellows integrity, completeness of film holders and lens boards, originality of the wood and brasswork, and whether a usable lens is fitted are the main factors influencing what one sells for.