True value of a Portafold?

[Mick Emm]

Hi !
I've been trying to buy a Portafold on eBay. I was doing well earlier in the week with the white one (with definitely the wrong sink in it all though the seller informed me it was original) at Henley-on-Thames. The price stopped all week at £460 then in the closing hours the shield bidding started deliberately winding the price up from 460 to about 685 pounds. This is illegal but eBay seem to turn a blind eye to it. How do I know it was shield bidding?
The bidder deliberately stopped short of the 100 mark. Anyone wanting to buy would go 713 pounds or similar.
Interesting the £900 Portafold just finished never got a bid. The two Portafolds before Xmas did not make the 500 pound mark.
So does this mean the true value of these design classics is £500?
We sent an email to the Ansfold on the caravan forecourt asking if he would take £500 (which he is selling for £1490 ish) but we're still waiting for a reply!
I quess it's going to be a long wait!
Meanwhile I'm still looking!
...Mick

[phunkie hiboy]

The bid of £655 was put on the second day of the auction, 7th march. The winning bid was made 5 seconds before the end, possibly a snipe bid, so even without the second to last bid it still would have made £675. I know people that have paid a lot more than that, recently. Look at what they were making last year! Everything finds its own price level, and it is spring and people are now looking for something to use in the summer, kinda like convertible cars.

[bigbird]

They usually make around the £1,100 mark, for one that is up together, I have seen one go for £1,400.

I've had mine for about five years now and watch the price consistently, £675 was a bargain! Although I have to say mine was even more of a bargain at around the £250...however we must have spent a good £600 on her, to get her up to scratch, fibreglassing, yacht paint, servicing, new tyres, auto carpeting, etc, etc., So, it's horses for courses, either you buy a shell, or you spend more and buy restored, either way, you'll end up spending £1k.....

She's had fourteen people in her before, when it was raining particularly hard at a festival, exit one bottle of jack and a bottle of port..... Now that's value for money!!

[vauxhallbitz]

I think that sometimes we sell ourselves short with our Portafolds bearing in mind what some small caravans go for I think a good restored Portafold must be worth between £1000 and £1500.

I was also lucky to get mine for a good price but had to do everything to it so that should be reflected in the price I know that you never get back everything but still think that for the versatility, rarity and styling the figures above should apply.

I would like to have seen 14 people in one though!!!!Must have been a tight squeeze.

[bigbird]

What can I say....a Morris team, very drunk, fortunately the women were quite small, except for me..lol......Poor Matilda, but she survived and goes to lots of festivals with us. We were going to keep a small folding camper that we had, as we can tow that behind our trike, but I have to say, Matilda has denied it's use for the last four years, you can't beat being able to fold down a Portafold when it's wet.....there are none of those 'canvas' issues.....lol

[70sfreak]

I recently paid over a grand for mine and travelled half way up North for it .
It is ready to go and came with loads of stuff but does need a bit of paint here and there
It fits my needs exactly the width and length means I can store it and because it folds down it will look good behind my lowered car. There were none for sale when I was looking and I can't wait to use it !!!!

What are they worth ? well if you look at the price of say a similar era Eriba Puck something else that I was considering, it all seems to make sense , bearing in mind a Puck could be rotten ?

Signed a very happy Portafold owner

[phunkie hiboy]

you'll end up spending £1k.....

[murphymini]

I also payed over a grand for mine, but it's in VERY good restored/modernised condition!!