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Plaubel Makina (I)

The Plaubel Makina (I) is a folding plate camera produced by the Frankfurt maker Plaubel, introduced in the 1910s as a compact strut-folding bed camera for professional use. It was built around a rigid scissor-strut design that supported interchangeable lenses, and it sat at the serious amateur and press end of the pre-war German market when new.

At UK auction, hammer prices for the Makina (I) have mostly sat between about £60 and £250, with a median around £140 and a long-term average that reflects its status as a collector item rather than a user camera. An outlier at £470 in 2002 shows that exceptional examples with clean bellows and a sharp lens can sell for more, but as of today in 2026 a typical clean body is worth in the low-to-mid hundreds at saleroom level. Condition drives value strongly: tatty bellows, missing ground glass or seized shutters push results toward the bottom of the range.

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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: September 2024

Date Price Source
Sep 2024 £140 Tennants Auctioneers
Jul 2024 £62 Flints Auctions
May 2011 EUR 250 Leitz Auction
Mar 2004 £239 Christie's
Sep 2003 £105 Christie's
Apr 2003 £94 Christie's
Feb 2002 £470 Christie's
Sep 2001 £129 Christie's
Mar 2001 £223 Christie's
Jul 1998 £149 Christie's
Jun 1998 £184 Christie's
Jan 1998 £138 Christie's
Nov -0001 £138 Flints Auctions

Frequently asked questions

What is a Plaubel Makina (I) worth today?

Most clean examples sell for between about £90 and £250 at UK auction, with a median hammer price near £140 based on recent and historical results.

How much does a Plaubel Makina (I) sell for at auction?

Recent UK hammer results include £140 in 2024 and £62 for a rougher example, while stronger examples have reached £470, so the price depends heavily on bellows and shutter condition.

Is the Plaubel Makina (I) a good user camera?

It can be used with plate or sheet-film holders, but its value for most buyers is as a collectible; the cost of servicing the shutter and replacing bellows often exceeds the purchase price.

What affects the price of a Makina (I) the most?

Bellows integrity, shutter accuracy and the presence of the original lens and plate holders have the biggest impact on what the camera sells for.

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