Still in the previous year, end of November. I was checking out the Japanese Yahoo Auctions site when I spot it – old Sonnar version of Nikkor-P Auto 10.5cm 1:2.5 with interestingly low production number. Several months ago I bought similar Nikkor-P Auto 10.5cm with higher production number, also Sonnar but with 6 aperture blades, and newer Gauss type Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 K model. Low production number of this newly found one I came upon indicated that I’m maybe looking at really rare one with 9 aperture blades. Both lenses I bought before were already gone as I sold them, but since I missed them because their quality was unquestioned, I started thinking about getting another. And here it was right before my eyes!
Because I didn’t have my personal Japan Yahoo ID, I asked for help my friend living in Japan (as already several times before). Luckily he was home and was so kind to enter the auction. We watched impatiently as end was approaching and I lost my cool. I twice increased my intended bidding ceiling price. 😅
Thank goodness I did. 😁
We won and then after couple of weeks I got the precious parcel from Japan. Lens looked in much better condition than on the photos and in fact it was nowhere near to “junk” description stated by the seller. Fully working with just negligible amount of tiny dust particles inside – no problem for lens made 60 years ago. 🙂
