Estes Auctions -- Dick Bury Collection Part 1

Burbank, Ohio -- September 15, 2007

Contributed by Dale Boyce, John Terrey and Estes auctions

Web Edition

The first part of the great collection of the late Dick Bury was auctioned on September 15, 2007, at the Expo Auction Center in Burbank, Ohio. Once again Richard Estes and his crew did an excellent job of organizing and moving things along. Total proceeds were an impressive $208,360.

The quality of the items in Dick's collection was outstanding. Dick and his wife Mary were well-known in the radio community, which has lost a true friend and a devoted collector.

This auction was an early battery set and wireless collector's dream. The collection was very complete and comprehensive almost every major manufacturer was represented. Needless to say, your editor could not miss it and was happily rewarded by some nice items.

The highlight among the early wireless items was the rare Marconi 106B receiver, which sold for $24,000. Among an array of a little more common but still rare wireless sets were an IP501A, selling at $5,000, and an even rarer matching IP503 antenna tuner, which was a bargain at $1,400. Other manufacturers, such as Nesco, Wireless Specialty, DeForest, and Murdock also brought good prices.

All the important manufacturers of early battery sets were represented. Over a dozen Atwater Kent breadboards sold for up to $2,500. A Golden Leutz 9 sold for $2,100, indicating continued interest in a set that since has warranted two follow-up articles to Dan Schoo's October 2007 article on the subject.

An assortment of Atwater Kent units for the breadboard series.

Five units from RPM (Radio Products Mfg. Co.,) a sampling shown here, brought prices from $200 to $525. RPM units, variometers, AF amplifier units, and variable condensers are similar to Atwater Kent breadboard islands.

It's rare to see Neutrowounds in all three colors available in one place. The rarest in red sold for $3,100. Among the other offerings was a Federal Model 61 selling at $875; a rare Zenith ZEV portable at $7,500; a Grebe RORA at $3,100, and a Sodion receiver with both amplifiers at $3,400. The list goes on to include Adams Morgan, Cutting & Washington, Amrad, Kennedy, RCA, and Clapp-Eastham.

Dick also had an exceptional number of speakers, over 40, in fact, selling for as much as $3,100. Among the manufacturers represented were Federal, Music Master, Auto-Horn, Magnavox, Amplion, Western Electric, and Mesco.

An unusual selection of vacuum tubes brought solid prices, including a DeForest Audion selling at $2,000 and a Fleming valve selling at $3,000. A large number of individual Atwater Kent breadboard parts were sold, as well as similar but rarer RPM breadboard parts. A large selection of books and magazines were also offered.

In all, this was an outstanding auction and most attendees looked forward to Part 2 a couple of months later.

Look at all those knobs... and a meter, too! This Globe Electric DuoDyne 5-tube set sold for $280 in 1924. Without tubes, it sold here for $250. On the bottom is a close-up of the engraving on the panel.

This rarely seen Zenith Model 3M 3-tube amplifier brought $1,100 in this auction.

This 2-tube Zenith Model 2M, another uncommon amplifier, sold for $900.

Rare is the word to describe this 1924 Zenith portable Model ZEV which brought a $7,500 bid . The lower photo shows an interior view of this set. Note the unusual horn and driver configuration.

Abbreviations: g=good, WT=with tubes, NT=no tubes, BB=brass-based, TT=tipped tube, PS=power supply, g fil=good fil, N.O.S.= new old stock, WE=Western Electric. All prices have been rounded down to the dollar. Some low cost items and items in poor condition or non-specific descriptions are omitted. See print version of A.R.C. for complete auction listing.

A warning: Auction prices are not current values. Our selection of auction items is not necessarily complete. A listing such as this cannot adequately include the condition of cabinets, chassis, transformers, tubes, the operating status of the set, and the inclusion of incorrect, restored or replica components, etc. Auction prices are the result of the excitement of the auction process, the skill of the auctioneer and the specific interests of the participants. Nevertheless, auction prices serve as useful references and as another element in the value determining process. The possibility of error always exists, and if we are notified, corrections will be reported.

Dale Boyce is an electrical engineer and lighting designer who has been collecting radios and technology for over 35 years. He and his wife Chris have a wide-ranging collection, including 1920-1920 radios, horn and cone speakers, crystal sets, phonographs, TVs and equipment made by over 35 Wisconsin manufacturers, as well as technology items from 1855 to the present.