|
Clubs, Groups and Societies For discussions about various clubs, groups and societies relating to our hobbies, such as the BVWS (incl RetroTechUK), BATC, RSGB, APTS, CLPGS, THG, TCC, BECG, MCR21 etc. This is NOT an official forum for any of these organisations. |
|
Thread Tools |
14th Jan 2007, 9:45 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Arlesey, Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 401
|
Wooton Basset
I returned today from WB with a car full (literally!) of prizes. The coming week will prove whether I bought well or not!
I must express my appreciation for all the hard work done by Mike Barker and team for all their hard work in making it such friendly and smooth running event, and in particular, thanks to Russ for helping me carry and load the big ones. Thanks guys, well done. Ian Blackbourn |
14th Jan 2007, 10:09 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area.
Posts: 2,967
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Like Ian I would just like to say what an enjoyable and interesting day I had at Wootten Bassett today, good social occasion and a fascinating auction. I could not believe some of those prices, especially for boxes of bits and pieces and valves.
I was very impressed with the organisation of the event by Mike Barker and his team. I am now in the same club as Mike as today I became the proud owner of my first Murphy,the U472 for the princely sum of £2
__________________
Simon BVWS member |
14th Jan 2007, 10:22 pm | #3 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
I got back a couple of hours ago, thoroughly exhausted after portering for the second half of the auction and helping people retrieve and carry their winnings. It was an excellent day though. I caught up with a few forum members, but as I was "working" I didn't have much chance to chat.
My only grumble was the amount of chatter between people while Mike was trying to run the auction, particularly towards the end. I was at the back showing the lots with Jon, and had trouble hearing what Mike was saying at times. I think most of the people who wanted to bid were nearer the front however. The prices were generally higher than in the auctions at swapmeets, however there was a lot of very nice sets in this auction. Many were restored or were in very good original condition. Some of the boxes of valves had more "interesting" tpes in them - the one that went for around £100 had about 8-10 new boxed EL34's and a couple of octal valve rectifiers for example. I bought three items - a KB FB10 "Toaster", an Ultra set in turquoise and white (T401 I think) and some books. I understand that this was the most successful BVWS auction to date, based on the total bid amount (this is not confirmed though). |
14th Jan 2007, 10:44 pm | #4 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 808
|
Re: Wooton Basset
I too would like to express my admiration for Mike and his team for a really well organised and enjoyable day.
I am interested in Pauls comment about the bidding, I also had the feeling that prices were more in keeping with a hobby for enthusiasts than those reported at some other auctions. Certainly there were no 30s woodies going for 50p just to get a spare mains transformer. Maybe it is the W B atmosphere. |
15th Jan 2007, 9:36 am | #5 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Coulsdon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,135
|
Re: Wooton Basset
This was my first WB auction and I must commend Mike and the team for a very well run affair. The auction averaged about 90 lots per hour, which compares well with the "pros". The catering was also to a good standard and the prices extremely reasonable.
The same cannot be said, however, for the auction items. I was aghast at some of the ludicrous amounts being paid for ordinary items : £90 for a wooden pilot maestro ? £55 for a 1920's wooden frame aerial (in bits ! ) ? £90 for a tray of nondescript valves ? I departed prior to the end but I suspect the round EKCO's and the jellymould went for equally stratospheric prices ! I fear I won't be returning to WB in a hurry - I'm off to shop on E-Bay where, uncharacteristically, the prices seem a lot lower !! Andy |
15th Jan 2007, 10:37 am | #6 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Bath, Somerset, UK.
Posts: 1,806
|
Re: Wooton Basset
I think that it is now safe to say that Wooton Bassett is no longer just a major regional event. It is now quite firmly a national even international event. It attracted major players and high bidders which is a testament to its great success.
I feel rather embarrased, however, that I did not successfully bid on anything , there was just so much competition for the items that I was keen on. Values for items were very high, but this is certainly preferable to the situation that we had six months ago when typical values for a DAC90a had dropped to an all time low of £15. I feel that yesterdays event was an extrremely good one for the society as a whole and raises its status even higher. Best regards to all of the "staff" who worked so hard, have a good rest before the next one . Neil |
15th Jan 2007, 10:45 am | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: near Reading (and sometimes Torquay)
Posts: 3,100
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Yes, well done Mike and the team.
Someone suggested to me that the reason for the high prices was that there were a number of foreign dealers bidding. Is there any truth in that rumour? It was suggested that there is a shortage of old radios on the continent. I agree with Paul about the chatter and I have a suggestion that might help.... Put an extension speaker in the room at the side of the hall. This would provide somewhere to go and talk while waiting for one's lot to come up without the risk of missing it. |
15th Jan 2007, 7:12 pm | #8 | ||
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Quote:
Generally I would have thought dealers would not want to pay that much for sets, since they need to make a profit when they sell them on. Many of the lots were in better condition than typical BVWS auctions and eBay etc (a lot of the better stuff from the BVWS store was deliberately sold in this auction), which I think accounted for the higher prices. Most of the people I fetched lots for after the auction were private collectors who had bought no more than half a dozen items. Quote:
I have also suggested if we do this again that we arrange the lots in a different order around the room so that we finish at the front, away from the queue and payments. |
||
15th Jan 2007, 9:24 pm | #9 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Attached is a PDF of the results from yesterday's auction.
I will put them in the BVWS website as usual later this week (when I have a bit more time). |
15th Jan 2007, 9:53 pm | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,268
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Well, as regards prices, the majority of sets were in _very_ nice condition - well above average - and many were restored too (Mike Barker described them as "properly restored").
OK, there were some very suprising prices on a few lots but there were plenty of cheaper ones. The Fada catalin radio went for around £200 - I hadn't intended to bid on it as I just assumed the starting price would be way above that! I got a nice Philips 274A (think it's the type on the front cover of Radio ! Radio !) for £75, which usually fetches a lot more than that. TTFN, Jon |
15th Jan 2007, 10:42 pm | #11 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Exactly. If you were in the market for as-found post-war sets for a few quid each to restore yourself or break for parts, this was not the auction for you. Very few sets sold for that sort of money simply because there wasn't any "junk" in the auction.
This was an auction of high quality sets and the prices reflected that. I have helped with Wootton Bassett auctions and seen the sort of stuff we usually have to get rid of, and I was certainly impressed by the standard of the sets in this auction. So please do not assume what happened yesterday is typical Wootton Bassett / BVWS auction prices. |
15th Jan 2007, 11:36 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW
Posts: 3,518
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Looking through the prices realised, I think that there were some bargains there - also confirmed that I am far too poor to own the nice little Philips TV/Radio combi........
Cheers Sean Who spent Sunday loading stuff for the forthcoming Radiophile auction.....mmmm lots of BIG vintage radiograms
__________________
Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished |
16th Jan 2007, 8:39 am | #13 | |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
|
Re: Wootton Bassett
Quote:
As usual the cuisine was jolly good, with Howard the chef cooking all day breakfasts and Mike Barker's mum had prepared an excellent selection of cakes Howard |
|
16th Jan 2007, 11:56 am | #14 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: West London
Posts: 35
|
Re: Wooton Basset
I think the chef cooking the breakfasts was Jim (Mike's partner).
And ta for all the good feedback - there were many days of lotting, Humping very heavy pieces of kit, fetching and carrying, photographing, organising, etc before Sunday - I was part of the team helping Mike with this and we worked until past 11.00 on Saturday night unloading vans in the rain and setting the stuff out. But it was a great day, and I came away with the one set I'd had my eye on - a KB mains console from 1930 in quarter-sawn oak cabinet, had its original instruction book, and (unrestored) it works nicely. Wasn't cheap, but I didn't expect it to be. Steve |
16th Jan 2007, 6:54 pm | #15 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
That went to a good home - a forum member and TV collector we know well.
|
16th Jan 2007, 6:57 pm | #16 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Yes, it was Jim taking good care of the grill and frying pan, and delivering excellent all-day breakfasts. Mike's mum, Edna, baked the lovely cakes.
|
21st Jan 2007, 1:38 pm | #17 |
Octode
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,898
|
Re: Wooton Basset
Hi
I didn't make the auction, but I regret it now! The Decca radiogram was a bargain ,even if the amp was non original, I would love one of these but they always make loads of money on e-bay, mainly to overseas buyers for the amplifier I fear! What condition was it in? was the amp conversion well done? If prices are on the increase, to a degree this is not a bad thing it may ensure more sets are saved and indicates that the hobby (obsession) of collecting old radios is not on the decline
__________________
The rotation of the earth really makes my day... |
21st Jan 2007, 1:48 pm | #18 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 6,644
|
Re: Wooton Basset
It depends who is buying and what for. Typical example...
1930's Radiogram. PX4's in it. And a good amp, maybe. Buyer 1 : Rennovates and uses it. Buyer 2 : Intends to be Buyer 1 but never gets round to it so it sits there... Buyer 3 : Finds it works after a few components changes, so uses it anyway. Buyer 4 : Strips it for valves and chucks the rest. Well... I am sure that we recognise ourselves in 1 to 3. But buyer 4.... When we sell stuff at auction, we never know which one it goes to, do we. Maybe we should start being more precious about Radiograms... Cheers, Steve P
__________________
If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...? |
21st Jan 2007, 2:57 pm | #19 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 9,073
|
Re: Wooton Basset
I haven't seem the new amp chassis close up, but Mike says it was a very good reproduction. It uses 6L6 output valves, rather than PX4's.
The vendor had purchased it with the amp chassis already missing, so this seems to be a sensible and affordable way of making it usable again. That probably explains why it sold for the price it did. Hopefully it went to someone who wanted the whole item and not just the amp. Any further discussions about this should be taken to a new thread, please. |