Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

David Duggleby Auctioneers in Scarborough North Yorks are holding a sale of vintage radio parts and equipment including domestic and military radios. Looks like someones life's work, possible an ex member of this group. Here is the link to the website.
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...e-id-srda10351

Chris G0EYO

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

There's certainly some interesting-looking stuff there. Large lots, so I guess likely to be bought by dealers to be then split and sold off as individual items.
I wish I lived local to the auction.

Andy

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Thanks for the link Chris - such a huge amount of gear for sale in one auction!

It will be interesting to see how much some of the lots realise as compared with the nominal estimates of the auctioneers. EG:

Lot 3340: 8 Heathkit items, estimate £70 - £100
Lot 3341: Another 7 Heathkit items (£50 - £70)
Lot 3342: Yet another 7 Heathkit items. (£50 - £70).
Lot 3344: 6 items including two 1155s, Eddystone EB35 (non worker), Yaesu TXcvr etc. Estimate £40 - £60.

Quite a lot of commonplace 'car boot sale' type sets too - DAC90/90As, KB 'Toaster', Murphy 'U198' etc.

Time was when the only bidders would be those in the auction room or who've left bids with the auctioneer.

Nowadays, with internet, auctions are open to a much greater range of bidders, which can be a benefit to the seller in terms of prices achieved, and to collectors who have easy 'armchair' access to auctions far away from where they live. But that said, I imagine that there is a small and reducing number of people interested in such a large amount of military equipment, which may reflect in lower prices being attained.

The age poll on this forum shows that the age range is skewed to older people, many of whom - such as myself - are more interested in disposing of rather than collecting equipment. Military equipment is bulky, heavy, unattractive in a domestic setting, has little utility value, and for the most part will just sit on shelves. I think the age poll on here is reasonably representative of those with an interest in amateur and military equipment. Only 6% of those in the age poll are aged under 40, 42 % are aged over 60 and 25% are over 70. I doubt that the results of a poll on VMARS would be much different.

If- as may well be the case - all of this clobber belonged to one person, it's not so much a 'collection' - more a hoard!

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

some nice lots. tempted by some of the camera and lens lots

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Yes David, it looks like one person's lifetime accumulation. Some mixed lots have tins of odds and ends, wire etc. Although military gear is bulky and unattractive, more and more are collecting it and prices naturally increase.
With interest rates as they are, I am in no hurry to dispose of my assortment of WW2 gear.
The auction estimates are not at all accurate. Seems pick a range between £40 -£80!
R1155s look unmolested, 19 sets too.
Then there is the 28.44% tax inclusive commission on top as well.
Bet it makes quite a lot of money in total. Be interesting to see the prices realised after the auction, if they are published online.
Rob

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Wow, what a hoard.

I was going to show it to my better half to show her that my collection wasn’t so big after all, but she might see it as the end of the slippery slope I was going down without her “help”.

Stuart

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Even I with a house, garage and outbuilding full wondered how one person can collect so much stuff!

Though it all looks top class without a doubt. I will have the T1154 at £80!!

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Start at Lot 3300 for the radio stuff :idea:

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Quite a lot there for military radio collectors, I spotted a WS 76 Sender which will be much sought-after. Some WW2 German gear too.

Quite a lot of KW Electronics gear, including a KW Valiant, KW-160, KW2000, KW SWR/Power meters.

The way the lots are mixed will mean a lot of post-auction horse-trading! I see an HRO receiver in one lot with the coils for it in another!

73

Roger

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

I wonder if they would ship?

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

I just got paid and am going to be broke again :D

Lots and lots of good stuff in there. A lot will end up on eBay with better photos so probably less risky!

If anyone bids on stuff and wins Heathkit SB or US command receivers and doesn't want them, please let me know :)

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Tim,

I think most of the auction houses that use the saleroom.com will ship. Worth a phone call to check though. If you win a lot(s) you must collect within five days of the sale.

73

Roger/G3VKM

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Some very rare and desirable stuff in there including several WW2 spysets, and some German military comms from the same period. And what looks like a Mk33.

I think that was the collection of a late G3 from North Yorkshire, who was a VMARS member.

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Correct, Dave, had it confirmed by the chairman yesterday about the ID of the seller. I'd love a MK33, old story, I had one and swapped it for something forgettable! Ditto my B2. Must look closer for the spy rigs.

73

Roger/G3VKM

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Talking of the auction, someone has made a good point on another forum that it's obviously not sufficient just to make sure your collection is disposed of properly when you pass away but you need to make sure items are kept together, otherwise we get the situation we have here with an HRO receiver, coils and dog-house PSU scattered over 3 or more lots. How we go about ensuring that stuff is kept together is not an easy question but possibly for principal items in a collection one could compile a sort of photo catalogue of systems with a brief description?

Would my collection stand muster if I croaked tomorrow - nah!

73

Roger/G3VKM

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Indeed. I know someone who has a similar sized collection. I have been appointed “sorter outer” as out of all the relatives I’m the only one who knows what it all is. Sudden health changes can really screw your situation. If you have no one with any expertise it’ll be a nightmare. At best MrsBungle and the kids have no idea the difference between any of it so there’s a spreadsheet done. Fortunately for them there are no boat anchors in my collection. Yet :D

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Ironically, in the case of the HRO, though it's disadvantageous to bidders to have to bid for and win three lots, which will include items they neither need not want, that can be advantageous to the seller. In this instance, if a bidder wants the coils and PSU as well as the RX, they're going to have to pay top dollar for all three lots, and maybe end up being lumbered with 15 sundry pieces of equipment on their hands that they'd not otherwise have bid for.

Without wishing to sound unkind or disrespectful, anyone who really cares what might happen to their collection after they're gone, would surely take steps to ensure that items are catalogued and kept together, or maybe scale down their collection in later life so that it's less of a task for bereaved grieving relatives and friends.

With such a large collection being disposed of in one auction, it will be interesting to see what prices are attained for the less desirable lots. The laws of supply and demand are such that with a limited number of buyers, and a large volume of equipment available, prices will be lower than they would have been with a limited amount of equipment. Doubtless some lots will go to dealers rather than collectors, who will move them on over time.

I wonder how many, if any, forum members will be hotfooting it to the auction or even bidding online?

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

I live close by the auction house and no doubt this will be several persons collections. They have specialist sales all the time, clock/watches, jewellery, art/picture etc, you can view the list of forth coming sale. Don't forget the commission and dreaded VAT which is now nearly 25% overall. Parking is a real problem close by even when collecting the item bought. Ted

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Very interesting auction catalogue. The reasons why these auctions exist is sad but gives chance for others to appreciate what must have been very interesting and special items for the original owner.

They do however make me think about how I should approach my hobby. I have for a time thought that the right way for me is to keep only the items that I need (specific pieces of test equipment) to resurrect the old sets, and let these sets pass through my hands having owned and appreciated them for a short-ish time, rather than just accumulate them with little chance of giving each the attention it deserves. One radio / record player / hi-fi per room is my limit.

So basically, although there are some tasty items there I am happy to scroll on by.

Re: Very interesting auction of communications equipment
 

Yes, I counted 14 car spaces on Google Earth! Not a lot of room for a well-attended auction. The last time we had a similar auction near to me, the auctioneers held it in a warehouse unit on a local airfield, as their town site was on a main road with virtually no non-resident spaces.

Roger