Britain's oldest working television comes to auction at Bonhams

Many Brits purchased their first television to watch the Queen's coronation in 1953 and now Britain's oldest working set is coming to auction in time for the wedding of Wills and Kate.

The Marconi type-702 set, which has a 12-inch screen, was bought for £100 in 1936, and is expected to be popular with investors.

It is expected to achieve close to £5,000 at Bonhams' Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments sale on April 19.

Bonhams specialist Laurence Fisher told the Telegraph: "These sets were really a side effect of our secret radar research and they are very similar inside to the radar.

"The picture is reflected onto its lid and at the time it was bought there was only one hour of television a day. And only one channel."


This box was bought for £100 in 1936

The first mechanical television was produced in 1926.

 

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