Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

clivemd · 26th Oct 2018, 1:28 pm

Hi all,

Firstly thanks to Moderator Bill for allowing me to post and hopefully subsequently sell here without being a regular contributor. Sadly I'm in the process of trying to find good homes for items my father had either restored or was working on and other related vintage servicing items. He was a BVWS member and I know he'd want them to go to someone who would appreciate them rather than going on eBay or whatever, so all advice welcome.

The main items are:

* Ekco TMB 272. This was my father's last completed restoration project and at the time of his death in April 2017 was I believe in good working order and I myself saw it working via an Aurora standards converter shortly before that. It is in apparently excellent cosmetic condition.

* Bush TV22. This has the back off was found connected (but switched off!) to power and VHF so appears to have been in process of being refurbished at the time of his death. Found with some service manuals.

* Mullard High Speed Valve Tester Mk3. Looking at available paperwork this appears to have been serviced in 2016. There are two large metal boxes of tester cards. I haven't counted them but the numbering suggests there could be approaching 1200 cards. Also appears to be spare bases, spare valves and various items of original paperwork.

* Thousands of service sheets, all carefully organised in folders. e.g.
- Wireless Trader 201 (April '37) to Wireless & Electrical Trader 1661 (July '64)
- British Radio & Television R11 (Dec '50) to R441 (Dec '81)
- Various other folders of carefully organised service sheets and indexes from '40s onwards.

* Also many Radio & Television servicing books.

* There are various other misc. items such as a working stock of tested valves, Aurora standards converter a variac.

Please provide any advice or comments you may have. Although I want it all to go to good homes, I'm very interested in advice about all the service sheets and books. I don't believe that those sets are absolutely complete but I don't think they are far off and this seems like potentially a great resource that should not just be recycled (or you might tell me these collections are very common of course!).

I've attached a few images to give an idea. More available to anyone that needs more details in order to comment.

Many thanks, Clive

toshiba tony · 26th Oct 2018, 6:54 pm

He sounded terribly methodical in his work, I have been in the same trade for 50 years and amassed quite a few items. E-Bay (to me) is not the same as the folk on here. Good luck in your aims on here.
Tony Walker

AC/HL · 26th Oct 2018, 8:50 pm

In addition, I have to say I find photo 2 quite poignant.

m0cemdave · 26th Oct 2018, 9:35 pm

The BVWS have regular auctions of equipment at Harpenden, (possibly not far from you).

Only members can bid on the auctions, so they usually go to active collectors rather than internet traders or speculators.

They are quite used to dealing with situations similar to yours, so it might be a good idea to contact them for details.

Dave Moll · 26th Oct 2018, 10:26 pm

I would second the idea of selling through a BVWS auction. That way they stand the best chance of realising the value they hold to genuine collectors.

1100 man · 26th Oct 2018, 11:00 pm

Hi Clive,
That Ekco TV looks to be in beautiful condition and is obviously a credit to your father's restoration skills- looks like it has just come out of the box!

In purely financial terms, Ebay would yield the most money but as has been said a BVWS auction will tend to ensure that the items go to people who value them for what they are, rather than what they are worth!

Selling items on this forum also tends to reach enthusiasts, some of whom are also BVWS members, but you would need to specify a price for each item which is not that easy to come up with.

Good luck with whatever route you choose,

All the best
Nick

Michael Maurice · 27th Oct 2018, 11:03 pm

If you wanted to sell them directly then I’d be interested in acquiring the service sheets, what I would do is to put them into PDF format so that Paul Stenning (The owner of this site) can put them on the website and his discs.

The money he makes from the sales go towards funding and maintaining this site so it will certainly be put to good use and others will benefit in the future.

I’d also like to acquire the valve tester.

clivemd · 28th Oct 2018, 3:10 pm

Thanks everyone for all the replies and messages so far - much appreciated.

As a newbie my forum message box has reached its limit. Michael, I think I can still receive though so could you send me an email address as I like your idea about the service sheets!

26th Oct 2018, 1:28 pm	#1
clivemd Triode Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 12	Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info Hi all, Firstly thanks to Moderator Bill for allowing me to post and hopefully subsequently sell here without being a regular contributor. Sadly I'm in the process of trying to find good homes for items my father had either restored or was working on and other related vintage servicing items. He was a BVWS member and I know he'd want them to go to someone who would appreciate them rather than going on eBay or whatever, so all advice welcome. The main items are: * Ekco TMB 272. This was my father's last completed restoration project and at the time of his death in April 2017 was I believe in good working order and I myself saw it working via an Aurora standards converter shortly before that. It is in apparently excellent cosmetic condition. * Bush TV22. This has the back off was found connected (but switched off!) to power and VHF so appears to have been in process of being refurbished at the time of his death. Found with some service manuals. * Mullard High Speed Valve Tester Mk3. Looking at available paperwork this appears to have been serviced in 2016. There are two large metal boxes of tester cards. I haven't counted them but the numbering suggests there could be approaching 1200 cards. Also appears to be spare bases, spare valves and various items of original paperwork. * Thousands of service sheets, all carefully organised in folders. e.g. - Wireless Trader 201 (April '37) to Wireless & Electrical Trader 1661 (July '64) - British Radio & Television R11 (Dec '50) to R441 (Dec '81) - Various other folders of carefully organised service sheets and indexes from '40s onwards. * Also many Radio & Television servicing books. * There are various other misc. items such as a working stock of tested valves, Aurora standards converter a variac. Please provide any advice or comments you may have. Although I want it all to go to good homes, I'm very interested in advice about all the service sheets and books. I don't believe that those sets are absolutely complete but I don't think they are far off and this seems like potentially a great resource that should not just be recycled (or you might tell me these collections are very common of course!). I've attached a few images to give an idea. More available to anyone that needs more details in order to comment. Many thanks, Clive Attached Thumbnails

26th Oct 2018, 6:54 pm	#2
toshiba tony Heptode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 978	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info He sounded terribly methodical in his work, I have been in the same trade for 50 years and amassed quite a few items. E-Bay (to me) is not the same as the folk on here. Good luck in your aims on here. Tony Walker

26th Oct 2018, 8:50 pm	#3
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info In addition, I have to say I find photo 2 quite poignant.

26th Oct 2018, 9:35 pm	#4
m0cemdave Octode Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 1,223	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info The BVWS have regular auctions of equipment at Harpenden, (possibly not far from you). Only members can bid on the auctions, so they usually go to active collectors rather than internet traders or speculators. They are quite used to dealing with situations similar to yours, so it might be a good idea to contact them for details.

26th Oct 2018, 10:26 pm	#5
Dave Moll Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK Posts: 6,130	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info I would second the idea of selling through a BVWS auction. That way they stand the best chance of realising the value they hold to genuine collectors. __________________ Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)

26th Oct 2018, 11:00 pm	#6
1100 man Octode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, & Great Dunmow, Essex, UK. Posts: 1,377	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info Hi Clive, That Ekco TV looks to be in beautiful condition and is obviously a credit to your father's restoration skills- looks like it has just come out of the box! In purely financial terms, Ebay would yield the most money but as has been said a BVWS auction will tend to ensure that the items go to people who value them for what they are, rather than what they are worth! Selling items on this forum also tends to reach enthusiasts, some of whom are also BVWS members, but you would need to specify a price for each item which is not that easy to come up with. Good luck with whatever route you choose, All the best Nick

27th Oct 2018, 11:03 pm	#7
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,225	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info If you wanted to sell them directly then I’d be interested in acquiring the service sheets, what I would do is to put them into PDF format so that Paul Stenning (The owner of this site) can put them on the website and his discs. The money he makes from the sales go towards funding and maintaining this site so it will certainly be put to good use and others will benefit in the future. I’d also like to acquire the valve tester. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

28th Oct 2018, 3:10 pm	#8
clivemd Triode Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 12	Re: Help valuing late father's TVs, Valve tester and lots of service info Thanks everyone for all the replies and messages so far - much appreciated. As a newbie my forum message box has reached its limit. Michael, I think I can still receive though so could you send me an email address as I like your idea about the service sheets!