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Old 16th Feb 2011, 12:38 pm   #1
ppppenguin
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Default Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Date of auction not yet set but a very nice 702 will be auctioned at Bonhams in the near future. I have known about this set for a week or so but now have permission to talk about it.

It comes with some interesting documents, including the original bill of sale dated 22/11/1936. It is said to be in good working order with a rewound EHT transformer. The main serial number is H1007. Chassis serial numbers to follow. Unusually, not all the 240 line parts have been removed, despite a documented post-war service by EMI in 1946. The name and signature on the 1946 document is none other than Gerry Wells, who was working for EMI at the time.

I understand the estimated price will be £3000 to £5000 though this could change. Since the last two 702s to be auctioned made £5500 and £10200 respectively the estimate is clearly a low one.
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Old 16th Feb 2011, 1:12 pm   #2
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

The EHT Transformer was only put back into this set last year, I re-wound it.

It is a true shame that the owner has passed away. he was a very nice gentleman to chat with and was at Harpenden last Summer to see the Marconi 702 which was displaying the Baird 240 Line system.

Mike...
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Old 16th Feb 2011, 1:46 pm   #3
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

I'm not entirely sure the owner has passed away.
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Old 16th Feb 2011, 10:07 pm   #4
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Is that you're not entirely sure or you're entirely sure he's not?

I'm not entirely sure how to interpret your post
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Old 17th Feb 2011, 1:13 am   #5
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Well Jeff,

That is what I have been told by Bonhams.
It is his brother that is selling the set now.

Mike...
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Old 17th Feb 2011, 8:38 am   #6
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

It is possible that I misunderstood the information from Bonhams. I am genuinely unsure.
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Old 17th Feb 2011, 10:54 pm   #7
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

It will be a nice set for someone, especially if it could display 240 lines, i would love it, just need to save up for one!
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Old 17th Feb 2011, 11:57 pm   #8
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

I'd love to see 240 lines (Baird system). Reading about the respective merits of the two systems is one thing; but being able to see and compare...

I don't suppose there's a 240-line Aurora?
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Old 18th Feb 2011, 12:17 am   #9
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Yes, there is...

http://www.tech-retro.com/Aurora_Des...Converter.html
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Old 18th Feb 2011, 12:19 am   #10
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

There is a "World" standards Aurora converter that we used for the display of the Baird 240 line system last year on the 702 I restored.

A lot of people were interested in seeing the Baird 240 line system.
I have to say the definiition was much better than I had first thought, but it suffers from a 25Hz flicker, which although annoying at first, the human brain does seem to suppress the effect to a greater degree after watching for some time.

It would have been an amazing leap forward from mechanical systems, but the Marconi-EMI system, although truely only 202 lines was interlaced to give the 405 lines without any perceivable flicker.

The 240 Line system will be on show at a BVWS event later in the year, so keep a look out in the Bulletin and come along to see it.

The set being sold by Bonhams is reported to have the system switch, all wiring and the valve holder for the MH4 still in place as original items, so it should not be any problem to get a 240 line display on the set with a little work.

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Old 18th Feb 2011, 8:31 am   #11
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

The vision bandwidth used by Baird for his 240 line system was less than optimal for giving high resolution. I suspect that the pictures we saw at Harpenden and on other recent 240 line demos were sharper than could have been possible in 1936/7.

The 25Hz flicker was indeed noticeable. Keeping the brightness down and watching from further away both minimise its visibility.

The WC-01 converter, which will do all standards including 240/25, is a superb bit of engineering but it's not cheap. As I have written in a forthcoming Bulletin article, you can get 4 SCRF converters for the price of a single WC-01.

I didn't see the demo, but Paul Marshall once showed a pair of cameras and monitors side by side. One on 240/25p, the other on 405/50i. His opinion was much the same as mine on witnessing the 702 at Harpenden.
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Old 18th Mar 2011, 11:09 am   #12
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Good day to all,

Now I have finished writing the catalogue for April, it now appears online for every one to see.
This Marconi 702 is quite an eye-opener of a set and several BVWS members have promised to visit us in Knightsbridge at the start of the view to have a good look and take lots of pictures.
That's the wonderful thing about these sales - it brings people together and there's nothing quite like a nice social gathering being surrounded by the things we all love.

There will be a small selection of radios too, but obvoiusly, the television is the crowd-puller.

The link to the catalogue is here>>

http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/19034/

It is lot 1. We shot several pictures of it switched on and off - inlcuding one with the back off, switched on through an Aur' standards convertor testcard with all the lights in the studio turned off for a full 32 seconds! The tone of light which eminates out of the CRT is spooky, not to mention the X profiles of the rectifier valves below. Wonderful.

To re-cap, this set comes with pretty-much the full supporting paperwork.

VIEWING - this starts at 11am (until 3pm) on Sunday 17th April. At 12noon, please join us for the switchon and a glass of wine (or juice for the drivers - you can park right outside on a Sunday). For viewing times for Monday and Tuesday, please refer to the online catalogue.

If you want a good old-fashioned paperback catalogue, these are £15 and can be ordered through by dialling 01666 502 200 quoting sale number 19034.

I look forward to seeing the usual crowd at the viewing, with perhaps the odd new face - always nice to meet new people who have the same interest. Any questions, please call me on 0207 393 3984.

Many thanks,
Laurence Fisher
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 9:27 am   #13
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Hi Laurence,

I stand to be corrected, but I am certain the cabinet is veneered in figured walnut and not 'flame mahogany'.

Best wishes,
Keith
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 10:16 am   #14
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

From the catalogue:

Quote:
This screen would have shown the very first scheduled television programme in the world.
This cannot be correct since the set was sold approximately 3 weeks after the start of the service.

I am interested in the price of almost £100. I thought that the 702 retailed for 60gns (£63) in 1936. It is possible that the price includes such extras as aerial erection but £30 seems a very large sum for such a service.
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 11:17 am   #15
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Laurence and I will be doing some tests soon to see if it's possible to demonstrate this set working on 240 lines on the viewing Sunday.
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 12:24 pm   #16
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

I agree with you Keith. The veneer is definitely figured wallnut. The grain patterning in flame mahogony is much less defined and random than that shown on the 702. My 703 is also in figured walnut, as are all the 800 radiograms from the same era that I have seen.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KEITHW View Post
Hi Laurence,

I stand to be corrected, but I am certain the cabinet is veneered in figured walnut and not 'flame mahogany'.

Best wishes,
Keith
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 5:48 pm   #17
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Quote:
Originally Posted by ppppenguin View Post
I am interested in the price of almost £100. I thought that the 702 retailed for 60gns (£63) in 1936. It is possible that the price includes such extras as aerial erection but £30 seems a very large sum for such a service.
Hi Jeffrey,

They came down in price later but started at 95 guineas (£99 15/-)

http://www.scottpeter.pwp.blueyonder...ew_page_11.htm

Peter
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 5:51 pm   #18
ppppenguin
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

Peter, thanks for the info. Do we know how long it was retailed at the higher price?

Also interesting to note that it was sold directly by HMV rather than via a local dealer.
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Old 19th Mar 2011, 7:01 pm   #19
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

I'm away from home just now but should get some info. on price from Wireless World when I get back. The article on the 901 in WW January 1937 that I quote from here http://www.scottpeter.pwp.blueyonder...intagetech.htm
still has the 95 gns price.

Peter
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Old 21st Mar 2011, 1:24 pm   #20
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Default Re: Marconiphone 702 coming to auction

I notice the auction listing emphasises the originality of the 405/240 selector switch. I'm sorry to be a curmudgeon, but is there any provenance for the switch? Does anybody even know what the correct switch should look like?

I'm asking because I find the finish somewhat odd. Silver doesn't fit with the brown bakelite. I would have expected a black finish similar to the toggle switch found on the side of a round Ekco (for instance).

Also, it might just be me, but if you look closely at the escutcheon plate you can see a faint outline of a circle, such as that left by a blanking plate.

The other odd thing about the escutcheon is the legend. It's opposite to that on my HMV 900. On the 900, the 405/50 position is up, while the 240/25 position is down. Again, looking at the photo (slightly zoomed in) it seems to show a faint '2' next to the 405/50 legend.

This is interesting because of my own TV, but there's obviously the question of authenticity for the buyer.
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