Fantastic Prewar Television Treasure Find
Since publishing the story below, I have received several emails with additional information. Three other collectors had similar email exchanges with James Stone, ending in the same way. Also, a thread on the U.K. Vintage Radio website has been started about the subject.
A reporter from the BBC in Nottingham called me about the story. He told me that they were considering doing a story about the Baird Model C being purchased by a Nottingham resident. As part of their investigation they looked in the area of north London where Stone TV was supposedly located, but found nothing.
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Recently, the following was posted on a British classified page:
| The contents of my late father's television shop which dates back to the early 1930's amongst which are a number of pre-war and later television sets, tubes, valves, components and advertising material (HMV, Marconi, Baird, Cossor, Murphy and Ekco) etc, probably the most interesting item is an early Baird televisor with built in radio, prefer to sell as a job lot as I need the space, to be collected from the London area. If you are interested in the above, please contact James Stone by email. |
I wrote back that I was interested. I got this email from James Stone:
| Hello Steve, Thank you for contacting me concerning my late father's television's and components etc. They are stored at his old premises in Hendon which are due for demolition to make way for flats in the next few weeks so time is getting a bit short, attached is a list of the sets , some of which I suspect are not worth bothering with as they are either incomplete or damaged but nevertheless will have to be taken along with everything else, I have already been contacted by someone who is coming to see them on Sunday which is the first free day I have and hopefully he will take them in one lot which is what I prefer, if not then you are welcome to send someone to inspect them. Itemised List Of Old Television Sets And Components For Disposal Pre-War: In Alphabetical Order. All of these sets were either taken in for repair before the war and never collected or part exchanged for new models and never sold with the exception of the Marconiphone Model 708 which my father, who was a distributor for HMV and Marconi sets had for demonstration purposes but apparantly it never worked very well and few were sold, he asked Marconi to take it away but they said he could keep it...! Baird. T11. Console model, looks alright, some damage to cabinet veneer. Baird. T25. Console Model, appears to be complete, cabinet o.k. Cossor. 54. Table model, a bit scruffy but looks complete. Ferranti. T3. Console model, missing some knobs and cabinet water stained. HMV. 900. Console model, missing the mirror in the lid and some cabinet damage. HMV. 904. Table model, missing some knobs and has worm damage to the cabinet, the picture tube has been removed but there are plenty of spares...! HMV. 1801. Console model, generally poor with missing parts but I am sure they will be amongst the spares and component as my father NEVER threw anything away. Marconi. 706. Table model, missing some knobs and other parts, cabinet reasonable. Marconi. 708. Console model, VERY LARGE!!!!! has an unusual projection system, generally in good condition as this was kept in my father's office. Murphy. A58V. Console model, generally scrufft, metal frames rusted and missing knobs etc. There are 32 pre-war tubes of varying sizes from 5 inch up to 12 inch, some new in boxes others obviously used, 15 tea chests full of both pre and post war components such as transformers, knobs, chassis masks, speakers, backs off televisions etc and then several items of test equipment equipment both pre and post war including and AVO valve tester, signal generators and all of the bits of kit he used from the very beginning, as I said, he never threw anything away.There is also a large quantity of sevice books on pre-war sets and many items of adverising material such as wall posters, point of sale material etc by various manufacturers too numerous to mention. The post-war sets are not really worth mentioning but there are models from 1946 to the mid 50's, probably about 20 in total most of which look complete. Finally, there is an early floor standing Baird 30 line mechanical television with a built in radio receiver which my father took in part exchange against a new HMV model 900 in 1936 and kept for display in the showroom for many years, it is in good condition having been kept at his home since the 1960's, I haven't decided whether to let this go at the moment but could be tempted if someone takes the lot. James |
What a list! Until now,
there was no indication that the Ferranti, Marconi 708, Baird T11 and
T25 existed. The 708 is a projection set and only a few were made. Plus,
the Baird model C, among the rarest of mechanical sets.
So, I wrote him that I'd like his phone number to talk directly about
seeing the collection. He wrote back:
| Hello Steve, I understand your interest in acquiring the sets en bloc but as stated in my earlier email to you, arrangements have already been made for a chap to come and look at them on Sunday which is the first free day I have, he was the first to reply to the advert and I have promised him first refusal, subject to him seeing them a price has been agreed but if for any reason he decides not to buy them then you are next on the list and I will send you my contact details in order that you can make arrangements for your representative to come along and inspect them. Regards, James Stone. |
I then wrote to him that
prewar TV prices were higher in the U.S, and that I
could probably offer more that his present offer. He wrote:
| Hello Steve, The situation is thus: I have agreed a price in principal of £5000.00 for the sets however this figure was mentioned as a minimum by the person who is coming to look at them on Sunday but could be more subject to inspection, as the proceeds are to be set against inheritance taxes due on my late father's estate I obviously need to realise as much as possible from the sale of these assets so if after looking at them his offer is in excess of the £5000.00 mentioned then I will probably accept as I desperately need to clear the premises where they are stored, demolition is due any day now as I have sold the property and should have been out weeks ago, to compound the problem the new owners are now threatening to knock it down, empty or not so time is of the essence. Kind regards, James Stone. |
I then offered him 15,000 pounds for the lot. He responded:
| Hello Steve, I have now managed to open my mailbox and to say I am astounded at your offer is the understatement of the year, are you sure as this seems an extraordinary offer for them? if so then this throws a completely different perspective on the situation, obviously as a matter courtesy I will have to let the prospective buyer know I have had a higher offer because a promise has been given to let him have the first refusal but I am sure that in view of his initial offer, although open to review, he will not want to pay the amount you have mentioned, what I will not do though is get involved in an unseemly situation of playing one against the other so in fairness I will have to disclose the figure to him before he travels down to look at them and if as I suspect he is not interested in paying the same amount I promise that you can buy them, the only stipulation being that they must be paid for and removed by the end of this month. Regards, James Stone |
Then, another reply:
| Hello Steve, The prospective buyer has been
contacted saying that a much higher offer has been made for the sets
pointing out that in view of the difference and as he was travelling
down from Nottingham which is quite a long way I did not want him to
have a wasted journey, he seemed a little surprised but when I told
him that this included the Baird televisor he explained his offer
did not as he thought I wanted to keep it, I said that this was not
strictly true as it was made clear in the list of items that whilst
I had not decided whether to keep it or not but could be tempted to
sell it if someone was prepared to take everything in one lot to
which he replied that subject to inspection and providing the
televisor is a Model C he was still interested, on this basis I can
do no more until Sunday. |
When he mentioned that the
Baird was a Model C, I remembered an earlier event. Three years ago I
won the Fraccaro Italian mechanical TV set on Ebay. The underbidder, a
person with an Ebay account with almost no feedback, contacted me. He
told me that his name was Harold Stone, and warned me that the set was a
fake (after extensive investigation, we determined that the set is
real). He told me that he had an extensive collection of mechanical TV
sets, including a Baird model C, that he was 84 years old, and had a TV
shop in North London. I asked for photographs, but he told me he didn't
know enough about computers to send pictures (he had no problem using
Ebay and
bidding more than $20,000 for the Fracarro, however). I never heard from
him again.
Now, back to the present story. I replied to James that my offer did not
include the Baird televisor, since he had indicated that it was not to
be included, and that it is indeed a C, I would increase my offer to
23,000 Pounds.
He then replied:
| Hello Steve, The reason I know that it is a model 'C' is because I took the opportunity to look at your excellent online virtual museum where you have the picture of the one you have, the only difference between the two is that my father's has a Baird radio built into the fall down front of the bottom section on which it stands, is yours the same? I assume it is original because it shows it in the operating instructions and handbook although strangely enough they do not mention the model type. Regarding your original offer, when you said £15000.00 for everything I understood it be for all of the sets including the televisor so your renewed offer is placing me in an embarrassing situation because I have given a firm commitment to the person who is coming to see the equipment that he has the first refusal which I must honour although of course I will explain the position first before I make a final decision. Regards, James Stone |
Then, the next day:
| Hello Steve, I have been contacted by the person who
is coming to see the televisions asking if he can call tomorrow at
10 am, this is actually more convenient saving me a special journey
on Sunday because I shall be at the premises in the morning removing
some office furniture and means that I will be able to give you a
definite answer one way or the other by midday at the latest. |
Finally, the next day:
| Hello Steve, The person has come down to look at the sets made a fair offer which I have accepted but more importantly agreed to take everything and remove them today, thank you for your interest and good luck in your quest for items to add to your museum. Regards, James Stone. |