BBC Vinyl Archive Auction

[Stuart Douglas]

Not actually missing telly, or in many cases telly at all - but there's some very cool stuff on sale in the BBC Vinyl Archive auction.

bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/details/a219c-the-bbc-collection---sale-one/?au=149

[davetudor]

Some quite brilliant stuff there - and I've only looked at the first three pages!!

The microphones, control panels and signs etc. are interesting enough but the records have me drooling, especially the Pink Floyd, prog/psych records and Harvest label releases. Oh, for a big lottery win right now!! 

[mattg]

…Those lovely Deram albums should realise a pretty penny given that Decca’s ‘hip’ sub label remains highly desirable to vinyl collectors!

Actually this auction reminds me of the one Thames Television held in late 1992. After losing their franchise rights Thames was forced to sell off their assets, including an extensive vinyl library. Despite early nineties Britain being ravaged by recession ludicrous amounts of money reputedly flowed that day as collectors/dealers fought over every major record release since the 50’s (and all promo/advance/demo copies too!). ‘Once in a lifetime’ type stuff then and presumably the Beeb must have a similar vinyl bounty stashed away…

I note that this set of auctions are pretty much all albums and titled ‘Sale One’ so presumably ‘Sale Two’ will comprise of 45’s…?

[sonnybh]

I remember once seeing a single for sale at a record fair with an Anglia Television sticker on the label, which was probably from their library.

Record Collector used to have adverts for ex-library discs, possibly from dealers who bought up job lots & sorted out the rarer ones.

[T Morgan]

Interesting to see a transcription disc of Ray’s a Laugh dated 24.01.1950. The auction says “Provenance: offered directly from the BBC Collection”. Yet I’m not aware of the BBC having this episode. So what’s going on? See bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/3-bbc-collection---collection-of-original-pre-war-transcription-discs/?lot=46990

[John Green]

Jan 17, 2024 1:49:04 GMT T Morgan said:

Interesting to see a transcription disc of Ray’s a Laugh dated 24.01.1950. The auction says “Provenance: offered directly from the BBC Collection”. Yet I’m not aware of the BBC having this episode. So what’s going on? See bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/3-bbc-collection---collection-of-original-pre-war-transcription-discs/?lot=46990

Nice one,T! I was wondering if there'd be anything missing there, but couldn't be bothered to do the work (of course). 1950 sounds very early for a radio survival.

[T Morgan]

Jan 17, 2024 17:34:33 GMT John Green said:

Jan 17, 2024 1:49:04 GMT T Morgan said:

Interesting to see a transcription disc of Ray’s a Laugh dated 24.01.1950. The auction says “Provenance: offered directly from the BBC Collection”. Yet I’m not aware of the BBC having this episode. So what’s going on? See bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/3-bbc-collection---collection-of-original-pre-war-transcription-discs/?lot=46990

Nice one,T! I was wondering if there'd be anything missing there, but couldn't be bothered to do the work (of course). 1950 sounds very early for a radio survival.

Thanks, John - however, it may not be anything new. Having consulted an archivist contact at the BBC, he says:
“Transcription discs were BBC programmes sold to overseas stations on a licence for a specific period from around that era.

The date on the disc , 24.1.1950 , relates to the expiry of the licence not the transmission date.”

So, could the catalogue number help identify the episode? It says 59718 on the label. Anyone know?

[T Morgan]

According to Keith Wickham, the date on this record IS the transmission date, not an expiry date.

[T Morgan]

Jan 17, 2024 18:05:41 GMT T Morgan said:

According to Keith Wickham, the date on this record IS the transmission date, not an expiry date.

This item is now being withdrawn from the auction so that the BBC can review it. You’d think they would have checked such things first!

[davetudor]

Well, they all sold for a pretty penny in the end, especially those Floyd and Bowie LPs. 

Some more interesting items on show now:


bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/details/a220-day-1-audio-equipment-and-music-memorabilia--day-2-rare--collectable-vinyl-records/?au=142