Suggested cost of MS-3 Ettan etching press, lightly used, 1 blanket

I am looking at a MS-3 Ettan press (24”x48” bed) which the owner has not priced, yet. She used it mainly to laminate photos to backing and it has not been used in several years. It will come with one catcher blanket and a homemade base with a couple shelves.

How much should she ask for it? She was saying $1500 to $2000 but that seems low. What do you think? I attached an Ettan Press pic.

image: pic_ms03.jpg

pic_ms03.jpg

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Wait, you are hoping she’ll charge you a higher price?!
Aside from the condition, the cost depends on the size of the press, and with all things heavy, what transporting it will entail. The previous use sound like it never saw rough duty, which is good. Meanwhile, you can research the price these have fetched on ebay, or what new ones go for on their site: http://www.ettanpress.com/

I laughed when I read that first sentence! I want to be fair to her, actually. I bought an overpriced book press locally and continue to feel put out whenever I read the person’s name advertising other stuff. The woman selling the MS-3 is local, too, and does the web updates and brochure layout for the artists covey(? 165+ ) where I have my printmaking studio. She does alot for us.

I looked first at Ettan and they don’t list prices anymore. I looked on Ebay and Amazon and any random place Google could find. Someone wanted $4000 for one 3 years ago (west coast- I’m east) and there’s someone in Australia with one for $2000. Being local, there would be no shipping. So, I guess whatever she’d like to ask for it, right? She was looking at my pathetic but faithful little press and offered her better press in that price range. Maybe she bought it used-
Thanks for your suggestions, though! It’s good to know there is so much fluidity to pricing a press.

Consider this: A 40x70 inch overbuilt Charles brand goes for 15,000 dollars without shipment.

I think if you scale down by percentage, a 1500-2000 dollar price for that press is fair.

3.8 is the number I would multiply the price of your Ettan by based on capacity. That is if it were built from the same materials as a charles brand (which is is most certainly not); I adjust it another 4 based on materials (the brand is built better); so roughly 7.8 * the price of the ettan is equal to 15,600. Not bad. I think 2000 is a little much, actually, 1500 sounds like a good price for such a press.

Wow. I am not going to do all that math but your calculation is impressive. The “about 2/3 of original price” suggestion is more my speed!
The owner bought it new in the 1990s for about $3000, she thinks. She decided to ask $2000 with the very sturdy base (made by her German cabinetmaker husband-) included. Both the press and the base are in lovely condition. I did the run-a-dry-plate-through-with-a-damp-piece-of-paper test to see if the image shows well in raking light (thank you, typenut!) and it looked great. And I don’t have to worry about shipping- it’s a deal.
THANK YOU all, for your invaluable input!

Yeah, Typenut, that’s like the best way to test an intaglio press ever!