There are probably many reasons why people collect old cameras, or anything for that matter, but I think the main ones are; historical significance, quality (intrinsic value), popularity along with its companion nostalgia, and rarity. These factors in combination fuel collectability, and just because an item is, say “nostalgic”, does not necessarily make it widely collectable.

 

Beauty 35mm cameras seemingly fail to satisfy most of these criteria. None were historically significant, unique or pioneering. Items made for the common man often need some "event" to become attached to them to elevate their status to valuable. Beauties never received celebrity endorsements, nor went to the moon.

 

Whilst reasonably well made, Beauties come nowhere near to the quality of manufacturers such as Leica, and have little intrinsic value. As a general rule, only cameras which were expensive, when new, tend to be valuable today.

 

Production numbers were relatively low (typically circa 40k per model) and their distribution limited. This means they could not become hugely popular, and consequently today, they hold nostalgic appeal for comparatively few people (of a certain age) who might have fondly owned one in the past. Some Beauty models are indeed rare, but that alone does not make them desirable or valuable.

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In my estimation, the third least common 35mm Beauty camera (table of rarity here) is the Varicon branded version of the Super L. I have only seen 4 examples within a serial number range of 215. One of these known examples was auctioned on Jauce in October 2024. The camera attracted 33 bids and achieved a sale price of 11,600 yen, which is £59.42.

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The table on the right list the eBay UK sale prices of Beauty cameras since December 2022. Some models are more desirable than others, with the Lightomatic II being the most valued, and the 35 the least. ​

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I have detailed what I was willing to pay for my Beauty cameras on each page of this site, and despite the passage of time since some of those models were acquired, I standby those values today: most Beauty 35mm cameras are only worth £10 to £50, depending on the model and condition.

 

Of course, there is a massive difference between what a seller may hope something is worth, and what a buyer is prepared to pay. Some Beauties are listed at ridiculous prices, over and over again, sometimes for years, because they never sell.