Was looking at completed auction's I am shocked by the number of auctions that sold for well over $1000 USD. Here is just one example. Why would this go for so much.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CURTA-II-CALCULATING-MACHINE-552050-/172732823968?

I noticed the same the past weeks/months... I only assume that some buyers are not very well informed. You have to write in the description:

This machine is in perfect working order!!!

and after some weeks of waiting the Curta is sold.

So it is...