Questions on Ear Trumpets
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Rev 1.0
PROVENANCE
skewing the description to raise price
Walking stick with whistle horn - £150 ?
OR
Walking stick with ear trumpet - £2500 ?

The real thing currently on Fleaglass at £2k5
Vtg Antique Victorian Ear Trumpet Directional Hearing Aid - $76

oh no it isn't !

It is a mouthpiece from a 1930's telephone operators headset !
($2)
Sold with a note saying 'used by George IV' who died 1830.

Silver gilt trumpet marked: 'Rein 30 Charing Cross Road'

They moved there in 1916 !
blatant intent to deceive
Home made item offered as an ear trumpet
cost <£5 offer price £60.

Image on EBay was blurred - should have been a warning !
Recent marriage of unrelated parts offered as an ear trumpet
- offer price > £300 !

The brass horn was bought for £10 a week before this appeared !

Offered on EBay # 182872876154 at 17 Nov 2018 as
Rare Parisian French hearing aid device trumpet horn 'Le Petit Parisien'
ignorant seller gives incorrect definition
Glass friggar (£20) offered as an ear trumpet (£150).

Negotiated it down 50% as it is a popular misconception
and I thought the collection needed one.

Omitted from Guinness World Record count.
ANTIQUE 19TH CENTURY SILVER PLATE EAR TRUMPET

Oh no it isn't

This is a wine funnel, the last thing a trumpet needs is a baffle !
ANTIQUE CASED FOUR PART SILVER PLATED EAR TRUMPET

Oh no it isn't

It is an Auriscope.
DATING

Conversation tube from 1880 - £200 ?
OR
WW1 trench warfare aid - £500 or more ?
OR
Hearing aid issued by NHS in 1976 - £70 ?

The design remained unchanged for 100 years !

Hawksley auricle

marked 351 Oxford Street

sold as Victorian but Hawksley only opened that shop in 1926 !
Aylsworth diaphragm ear trumpet sold as early Victorian.

He only patented it in 1905 !
Banjo ear trumpet marked OL331.

Early Victorian £250?
OR
WW1 market price £50-125 ?
OR
post WW2 at £35 ?

Marking says it must be an NHS trumpet so 1948-76.
Politzer patented the banjo in 1883.
QUACK DEVICES
Two magnetic ear clips and a compass to prove they were magnetic.

Totally useless.

Current market price £400.
Noise maker ran on a 4.5v 'flat' torch battery.

Was supposed to improve hearing by buzzing in the ear.

Often sold with an ear trumpet in a presentation box.
Gold plated ear tubes, with many variations in silver.

Could only open up a blocked ear tube, otherwise useless !
FINDING EAR TRUMPETS to BUY
Auction houses I follow 2-300 auctions each week worldwide
  I receive about 10 emails per day with alerts from UK auction houses
EBay I have daily alerts from EBay for 44 different search masks
WHAT PRICE SHOULD ONE PAY ?
Depends ! I maintain a list of current ear trumpet sales on my website
Currently it has over 950 items sold since Feb 2014
   


Ear Trumpets, the Packington Collection
SY10, Shropshire, UK
01691830296