Treasure in the attic

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello chaps

The perfect start to a long lost treasure story……..A find in an old attic of a departed model ship collector!

My daughter was talking to the builder and happened to mention that Dad was interested in model boats

The builder said he was given a box of toy boats by an old lady clearing out her late husbands belongings and he gave them to my daughter

Daughter brought them round today and I couldn`t believe my eyes!

Bob

End of part one

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The stuff dreams are made of!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Treasure in the attic part two

Apologies for making such a song and dance, but we need to savour and relish such a "once in a life time" special occasions

The collection consists of seven perfect miniatures, one hundred foot = one inch scale made by Basset-Lowke of Northampton! and housed in a glass case with bowed window

The models are made in wood and are in mint condition

With the set comes a brochure, itemising the range, price…….Threepence!

The models are….

"Hawkins"…..HMS?…………Large and small funnel……..Could be a cruiser………Painted all black………6" long

"Ceramic"…..Cargo Liner……..One funnel………Painted…………6 5/8" long"

"Maid of Kent"………Ferry steamer?……..One funnel……..Painted………3 3/8" long

No name………Destroyer?…..Two funnels……….Painted all black………2 3/4" long

No name………Big liner………Three funnels………18 lifeboats……Painted……………6" long

"Merchant ship painted in WW1 camouflage"……..Home made by F E Richards of Chester……….6" long

No name………Battleship………….Plastic?…………One chimney……….Dazzle cammo……….6 7/8" long

No doubt, those interested will be surfing the net now, tracking down those strange names?

In the catalogue is shown the vast range of models available…

RMS Queen Elisabeth…..SS Bremen……RMS Empress of Britain £3 10 0……RMS Britannic £2 18 6……..RMS Mauretania……..and to cap it all…….BRUNEL`S Pioneer Liner GREAT EASTERN!

End of part two

Bob……..Got to end it there, people are on the phone, wanting more info!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Treasure in the attic part three…..

Now for a few photographs

Only hope they do justice to the quality of build?

Glass display case………

Two of the models have got stuck to the felt

Plastic? BATTLESHIP

CERAMIC …………..Bassett Lowke model

HMS HAWKINS……Bassett Lowke model

MAID OF KENT…..Bassett Lowke model

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

That is a serious collection Bob. They look in perfect condition too, complete with a booklet. Amazing find.

Andy

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Treasure in the attic part four

The catalogue……

It`s really amazing, when you look through the pages, the vast range of models that were available

All made by hand and lots of ships with names I`ve never heard of, deemed worthy of manufacture!

End

Bob

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

What a wonderful find and going to someone who will appreciate them .Whatever you decide the collection will need to be held together ,I imagine you will be having many inquires for such a lovely collection .Michael

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

A really good find Bob of superb little miniatures. I understand Bassett Lowke had a shop in Manchester many years ago, but the prices made their models only available to the 'well off'.

Do you plan to display them in a cabinet? They would certainly look stunning.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just had a surf round and the prices vary from £89 to £399 each

A set of 14 similar models went for £4000!…….Tennants of Yorks Auctioneers

Some attic find eh?

A typical price for RMS Queen Mary was £4 15 0………As per the catalogue…..Say in 1920

I used to earn 39/6d per 44 hour week in 1953 as an apprentice

So that is roughly two weeks wages!

How life has changed?

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Bob,

Those models should be professionally disposed of as they could be worth quite a lot of money.

Bob Wilson may be well placed to give some advice on this.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Colin

My last post, says it all?

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. Stunning. How many treasures like this are skipped or sold for peanuts eh??

Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bassett…..don't they make liquorish allsorts

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Now then, Thomason

This is not the time for such cretinous jokes!

Ashley

When my brother and I left the ancestral home to start married life in 1961……..We spent the last six months at home….Burning the antique furniture, including a Grandfather clock, chaise lounge and piano etc and thought nothing of it!

ie…Ignorance is bliss?

Bob

Edited By Bob Abell on 17/04/2014 20:47:51

[Robin Buckland 2Participant @robinbuckland2]

Hi Bob,

That's a super find, thanks for sharing it. As you have said, amazing what can be lurking in peoples attics and which are so often discarded by people who don't know what they have at hand.

Robin

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Lucky find there Bob. I cringe to think of the treasures that get thrown out, just because people don't reconise them as such! They found the right person…

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Yes, they are quite valuable. They turn up from time to time on Ebay. I used to sell at **LINK** but the better I get at building them, the lower the prices they realised, so I quit! I think he would be interested in Bassett-Lowke models though.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Look at this lot – it will give you an idea on prices:

**LINK**

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Bob

Very interesting

There are such a vast number of models that were made by Bassett Lowke, they must have been very collectable by very rich collectors, but to spend a proportion of a weeks wages on one model, is really staggering.

Any idea when they were being produced?

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

There is a book on these models which I have although it seems to be a bit expensive these days!

**LINK**

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Colin

I will look into that and see what models I've got

But who can afford to collect them?

Bob

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