I think this is a good deal if it can be had for $100. This seller had this up for minimum 175 which ran out, then 150 which ran out both with no bids. Now he has it up for 100 with zero bids at 2 days to go. I bet he gets no bids. I think the psychology of ebay is people hope to get a $200 item for 20 bucks so starting with a very low start such as 99 cents will get a few low bids early then it just starts going up from there. I've seen items start very low and eventually sell for a price that is near or even above market value.
It is unusual to see these with the ball joint and the Jacob staff. I think the staff gets put in the back of a closet then when the owner dies the kids find the compass and sell it without the staff because they don't know there is a staff that goes with it. Often they don't even have the ball joint. I saw one in there with a rod level in the slot for the ball joint in the leather case. I'm not sure why; maybe the original owner used the rod level to plumb the staff.
My wife got a K+E compass with ball joint and staff for 163.50 for me which is in very nice condition. It is accurate too. Soon after another which looks newer in the photos sold for over 200 without the staff. There is a Gurley compass with tripod in there for 345 which hasn't sold. The compasses don't seem to sell all that well. The photos of the Gurley are blurry which makes me suspicious; if I was interested I would ask for better photos.
"Also includes a vintage Lutz survey wood rod." made in Japan? I guess I must be "vintage" too!
seriously, I would love to have a ball joint for mine, but I kinda wonder about this one... probably a screw on and not a taper fit as the truly vintage ones were.
from looking at the photos I am wild guessing... this is probably a 1970's vintage Engineer's tool... sweet but not super sweet. ($20 at the flea market?)
I passed it up for a K+E that ended after this one did the second time. It has the K+E staff which is a friction fit type.
Lutz was a Japanese company; the name was supposed sound vaguely like "Lietz" is what I understand. I'm not sure if it is original to the compass.
We have a Dietzgen just like it in our storage room (the ball joint and staff are missing). It doesn't seem to be up to the same quality as the K+E. Even though you lock the needle it still can move around some which isn't good. That's why I chose to let it go the second time and take a chance on getting the K+E.
We let the K+E run down to 30 seconds then entered a bid which beat the last bid. It then ran out and we got it for less than I hoped for except that one we had to pay $30 for shipping so it really cost almost $200.
Soon after another which looks newer in the photos sold for over 200 without the staff.
Dave,
That $206.12 K&E Compass now resides in Arkansas. As I have my eye on a K&E Compass Tripod...well...the lack of a staff did not bother me. As for looking newer, this compass has not been in and out of the leather case enough times to wear the paint off of the sight vane screws. I guess you could call it a new, old-style, K&E.;-)
My goal is to equip a truck with the same equipment I used my first year 'on the crew'...1975...
DDSM:beer:
Cool!
I've already made a capital gain ;-).
That one was my backup in case I didn't get the other one.
Interesting-yours is Made in Germany.
Whoever had mine took good care of it.
The old stuff is fun to use and they built it to last.
Unlike today's electronic equipment which is designed for about a 7 year service life and they cost $30,000 arrrggh.
Here is a really nice K+E brass Transit and it looks like it has a lot of the original tools:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Keuffel-and-Esser-Co-Transit-Survey-Scope-Stand-Compass-and-Wood-Box-/261039943064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc7316d98 
The Dietzgen compass, ball joint and staff sold for $185.