|
Antiques roadshow
I just caught the end of the antiques roadshow from Kenilworth castle where the final item was a very nice military transmitter/receiver in a wooden box. I didn’t catch the type but the box was marked with Royal Signals and was of a type used by special forces in WW2 and also had a 1948 amateur radio call sign the indication was it had been bought by a radio ham as surplus’s after the war. The valuation given was £10 to £15 thousand. I was very surprised at this valuation as there was no particular provenance of a famous raid or owner. Did anyone else see this.
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
It was a B2 set. I don't have a particular interest in clandestine sets, but I am aware that the B2 is highly sought-after. I was expecting a valuation of maybe £4000.
Andy |
Re: Antiques roadshow
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
It's on the iPlayer, the last item shown.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...worth-castle-2 The Forum thread was obviously the primary recourse for the programme researchers, which is nice, even if it wasn't credited. I wonder if it ever saw action, or if it was sold as surplus, new and unused. |
Re: Antiques roadshow
I felt the estimate of up to £15K was a bit steep. The key wasn't original and I don't think the outer box that was described as a spares kit was an original item either. The callsign (G3CUW) matches the name on the box, a search through the Short Wave Magazine showed a Nottinghamshire address.
It may be that this is one of the B2s acquired by the RSGB in 1946 and sold on to members, the condition looked to be good and c/w coils. 73 Roger/G3VKM |
Re: Antiques roadshow
Sure I saw a B2 recently for sale, not sure where at £8K.
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
But did it sell at that price?
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
It had not sold at the time I saw it.
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
Quote:
£7 to £11K estimate. Not sure if Bonham's show hammer prices. 73 Roger |
Re: Antiques roadshow
A pair of B2 sets sold on eBay out of Australia about a month ago for approx. USD $ 5300 each. A friend bought one of them and is awaiting delivery. They should still be accessible on the site by using the "Advanced search" button and choosing "Completed auctions." Neither had the suitcase, they had the drop boxes. That makes 10,000 Pounds a bit optimistic I would think.
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
Sometimes the valuations on AR are optimistic for the sake of theatre, sensationalism and live crowd 'Ooh!' factor. I witnessed it many years ago (early 80s?) when Hilary Kay highly valued a Baird console TV, and in 'pre war mode' talked in terms of it being "The first one", when it was clearly a post war console model, worth at the time probably much less than £100, maybe not even £50 due to its size and the general lack of interest in vintage TVs and particularly consoles.
I love the programme though and I've applied to show a vintage radio at Aston Hall in the next series to be filmed this year. I doubt if I'll be chosen though as I'm guessing there's many applicants. If I am I will of course post on here before the event is televised. I think I would have been contacted by now though. |
Re: Antiques roadshow
I think that the valuations on AR may be given with insurance in purposes mind, which tends to put them at the high end.
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
Back in the 80's I bought a Type A Mklll at an auction for a pittance as nobody knew what it was, I recall about NZ25. Complete with all the spares and adaptors except the little key. Gave out about 5watts on 80metres but chirped a lot according to the receiving station. Mentioned it on some forum and a guy in the Netherlands made me an offer that I couldn't refuse - NZ$4000 from memory, about GBP2400. It was only sitting in the bottom of a cupboard so I don't miss it!
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
It's highly likely that the unit on BBC Antiques Roadshow was effectively 'New, old stock', or a unit used for training/practice, then to be surplus and bought up by a civvie.
Note the wide choice of input voltages! Did they describe it as heavy, and say it weighed 32lb....? That's not heavy! Dave |
Re: Antiques roadshow
Heavy for its size though and would be carried in one hand. A suitcase such as this would normally be used to carry a few clothes. I wouldn't fancy carrying one past a German at a railway station. It's an arm stretcher. I think I'd have difficulty placing it in a luggage rack.
Apart from that all the suitcases were of the same size, not sure about colours mine is black. A trained of observer would spot one easily and simply lifting it would confirm the contents, |
Re: Antiques roadshow
Quote:
|
Re: Antiques roadshow
Several drop cases I'd think. As well as my suitcase version I have a second B2 receiver in a drop case and that's almost as big as the suitcase version. There'd have been other drop cases for the TX, PSU and coil/xtal box.
I would guess that the sets were moved as infrequently as possible. |
Re: Antiques roadshow
Per my post above, friend has received the B2 set ex-eBay from Australia and has it on the air. It needed two tubes and a couple of capacitors but otherwise is quite the testimony to quality that it would fire right up and work well 75 years later. He's been making contacts on 7050, he has a too-short YouTube video about it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93rVxSCbMpY |
Re: Antiques roadshow
Quote:
He has an interesting key technique, sends very well in spite of it though! Operators were recognised as being authentic by the sound of their "fist". |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 2:24 pm. |
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.