Plaubel Baby Makina
The Plaubel Baby Makina is a compact folding plate camera produced by the German maker Plaubel of Frankfurt. It was designed as a scaled-down variant of the larger Makina series, aimed at photographers who wanted a pocketable strut-folding camera with a rigid lens standard.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Baby Makina have ranged from about £210 to £480, with a median near £400 — these are saleroom wholesale results and exclude buyer's and seller's commission. As of 2026 the market is thin, with only a handful of recorded sales, so condition of the bellows, shutter and lens glass drives most of what a specific example is worth today. Clean, working bodies sit toward the upper end of that range, while examples with shutter or bellows faults sell for less.
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: November 2021
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2021 | £211 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 286) Title: A Plaubel 'Baby' Makina I Camera
Description:
1912-31, black, with Plaubel Anticomar f/2.8 75mm lens, black, serial no. 53957, body, G-VG, shutter fires but sticking, lens, G, some internal haze, |
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| Nov 2008 | EUR 480 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 14 (Lot AI_14_17768) Title: Plaubel 'Baby' Makina
Description:
4.5x6cm, rare strut folding camera in original condition, early model with 'Pracht' finder, focusing screen adapter, Anticomar 3/7.5cm no.47678 in Compur shutter, cap, 10 filmholders, case Estimate: EUR 400 - EUR 500 |
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| May 2006 | EUR 400 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 9 (Lot AI_9_27079) Title: Plaubel Baby Makina
Description:
4.5x6cm, rare strut folding camera in original condition, early model with 'Pracht' finder, focusing screen adapter, Anticomar 2.8/7.5cm no.63984 (clean lenses) in Compur shutter Estimate: EUR 700 - EUR 800 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Plaubel Baby Makina worth today?
Based on UK auction hammer results, a Baby Makina is worth roughly £210 to £480, with recent clean examples sitting near the £400 median.
How much does a Plaubel Baby Makina sell for at auction?
Recorded UK auction sales show the Baby Makina sells for prices between about £210 and £480 at the hammer, before commission.
What drives the price of a Baby Makina?
Condition is the main factor in the value of a Baby Makina: bellows integrity, shutter accuracy and lens clarity push prices toward the upper end of the range, while faults pull them down.