Flint's Auction, Thatcham, box of valves

[Buzby123]

https://www.flintsauctions.com/aucti...ves/?lot=22175

Nothing to do with me !.

[paulsherwin]

Hmm, a box of untested old pulls. The valuation seems distinctly optimistic, especially with a 30% premium added on.

[CambridgeWorks]

No connection at all, but this afternoon I started to sort through a few old valves until it got too cold in my garage.
Although I have promised some to 2 other members, (about 100 -150 in the pile so far) I put some to one side to investigate further.
One was a large 280V 75mA stabiliser (was it mentioned here recently?) and there was one or two VT115?? a 4 pin telephone repeater triode, plus another that has little information online.

Seeing some of the past posts of real auctions and then following up what bids there were makes me think about it as a viable disposal method maybe.

Trouble is, I imagine around here there might be just a few quid bid as valves are not really familiar items for local auctioneers.
That auctioneer in #1 may be one such person also, with estimates like he gives.
Rob

[GrimJosef]

I had a local auction experience a couple of years ago where, among other things, there were a few boxes of valves for sale. Some of them were attractive (a few boxed KT66s, EL84s, a GZ34 or two etc) but most were telly pulls. Since I was actually at the saleroom I could open the boxes and some (not all) of those were pulls too. But still, some very nice items.

I bid, as did others. Several were bidding online (it seems most auction houses are set up for this these days, through a third-party provider) but in the end it was down to me and another chap in the room. I quit before he did and since it was late in the day we both then left.

In the car park I congratulated him on his win and asked if there was anything in the boxes that he had plans for. "Oh no" he said "I'm really here for some militaria items that went earlier. I know nothing about valves, but I have a mate who says 'Buy any valves you see' and he'll reimburse me for them".

I reckoned that if the valves turned out to test well and if he worked to sell as many of them as he could then the mate might make 20% or so profit once he'd paid eBay selling charges and absorbed the risk of a dishonest buyer or two. I don't sell valves, but if I did that would feel like too much work and risk for too little return.

Cheers,

GJ

[PJL]

There are some crazy prices for boxes of loose valves, a local auction had a number of boxes including a couple that had maybe one or two KT66/PX4's and one of those sold for £780 + commission. I bought 2 boxes from another local auction that is not online for around £50/box and they were stacked with output valves (including KT66, EL34, PX4...) but testing revealed many are u/s and very few that I would describe as 'as new'. I got a few valves I needed and more than enough to justify the cost but buying to resell is a very risky business. Anybody collect duff KT66's?

[GrimJosef]

There is a minor use for duff KT66s in kit which is on unattended public display but not in actual use. The risk of a light-fingered passer-by helping themselves to a valuable valve is much mitigated if the valve looks fine but is actually a duffer.

Cheers,

GJ

[CambridgeWorks]

Sold for £62 + buyers premium.
Rob

[dave walsh]

Well over a decade ago I bought a small TV from a chap in Hastings. His father had a TV/Radio business shop but this never interested himself. He had a couple of boxes of [mainly] loose valves to show me as well but knew nothing about them. I wasn't really interested but perhaps foolishly said that I might try to sell them for him. Some time later he rang me up but I explained that I hadn't really got the time available to help by then [especially with my north/south life style].

He was clearly disappointed so I offered to buy them as a job lot [given they were untested etc]. He was obviously expecting a lot more than I offered so politely declined. A month or so later he rang me on a Sunday night sounding fed up but accepting my offer if it was still available. I asked him what changed his mind. He said "You were right when you said that, even with knowledge, it can be hard work!" People kept ringing me up wanting to know about individual valves and this and that. It was a bit exhausting!"

So I was able to help him in the end even though it didn't quite match up to expectation

Dave W

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by robinshack

Sold for £62 + buyers premium.
Rob

Shows how much I know.

I suspect it's as others have pointed out - dealers are buying these boxes of random old pulls hoping they'll get lucky. Most will end up in the bin, but there's always a chance there's a couple of good PX4s in there that will make the prices worthwhile. I suppose the ML4 will be worth a few quid on its own if it's not knackered.

[GMB]

Most will end up in the bin

More likely in the next auction!