Help needed - ID and ballpark value?

Hi there,

I've got a couple of items I'm looking to sell from my Dad's collection, but struggling to get an indication of a) what they are and b) what is a realistic value for them.

The first is, I assume, the builder's plate from a crane. It's humungous. I presume effectively Victorian crane bling. The second is a very heavy round thing, that looks vaguely like a man-hole cover.

Sadly Dad didn't keep particularly helpful records, so I've not got a great idea what their origins might have been.

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Cheers,
Simon

 

Thanks Ralph - seems like a fairly niche item to go through the aggro of making a replica of, but I gave up being surprised at the lengths some people go to a LONG time ago… Dad's extensive card index system detailing every photo of every named GWR steam loco in his (substantial) book collection gave me a good benchmark.

I'll keep Google-ing and digging through his auction records (largely his collection was bought at auction in the early to mid-80s from places like Bitton) to see if I can discover any more.

Thanks again for your help,
Simon

 

Generally larger plates actually have less value

 

The Crane worksplate would probably have been mounted on the jib hence out of harms way which would account for the condition.

 

I have restored many plates like this , both ones that have been located outside and inside, and I can say that many of them that have had layers and layers of paint on, are absolutly pristeen under all the paint, some as good as the day they were cast!

I would say it is highly unlikely that the crane palte is a fake as they attract fairly low prices!

 

Good news and bad then, fatbob…?

Thanks anyway. My temptation is to lob it onto eBay and see what happens… it'll be worth it to see the expression on the face of the lady in the Post Office…

Simon

 

The GWR Oil Gas is indeed a drain cover or rather a stopcock cover. They were located in depots and covered the filling valves for lighting gas used in coaches. Last place i saw them in situ was in the upper yard at Tysley back in the late 1990's.

 

Traffic Circular, that's really helpful. Thanks for letting me know. Lord knows why the old man bought it, but I'm guessing he had fun sanding and painting it…

Cheers,
Simon

 

We have one of those crane builders plates on the wall in the lifting tackle bay in Tata at Shotton. I think ours is off an overhead or jib crane.

 

If you want to see one of those gas and oil covers 'in situ' - although clearly not originally there - have a look on the down side of the barrow crossing at Hampton Loade, I happened to notice one when walking home the other day!

 

Still some 'oil-gas' pots in situ at Machynlleth.....having outlived proper signals, RETB, and probably will outlive ERTMS....