The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was just watching the Antiques Roadshow this evening and the super rare portable Flamephone appeared! I’ve never seen one before and wondered if it actually existed. So not just a myth. Valued at £800-1200.

jamiegramo wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:02 pm I was just watching the Antiques Roadshow this evening and the super rare portable Flamephone appeared! I’ve never seen one before and wondered if it actually existed. So not just a myth. Valued at £800-1200.

Lol. Another "priceless" valuation! If you could find one for sale the European buyers would almost certainly pay triple that for it. Ken Priestley sold one 30 years ago for £3000 in working order.

I'll have to force myself to watch the program now just to see a real example in the flesh.

Steve wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:10 pm

jamiegramo wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:02 pm I was just watching the Antiques Roadshow this evening and the super rare portable Flamephone appeared! I’ve never seen one before and wondered if it actually existed. So not just a myth. Valued at £800-1200.

Lol. Another "priceless" valuation! If you could find one for sale the European buyers would almost certainly pay triple that for it. Ken Priestley sold one 30 years ago for £3000 in working order.

I'll have to force myself to watch the program now just to see a real example in the flesh.

Steve, I was doubter! But you are right it does exist. The valuation is ridiculous. I’m going to wait for it to appear on bbc iplayer and see if I can take a tv picture.

jamiegramo wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:14 pm

Steve wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:10 pm

jamiegramo wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 4:02 pm I was just watching the Antiques Roadshow this evening and the super rare portable Flamephone appeared! I’ve never seen one before and wondered if it actually existed. So not just a myth. Valued at £800-1200.

Lol. Another "priceless" valuation! If you could find one for sale the European buyers would almost certainly pay triple that for it. Ken Priestley sold one 30 years ago for £3000 in working order.

I'll have to force myself to watch the program now just to see a real example in the flesh.

Steve, I was doubter! But you are right it does exist. The valuation is ridiculous. I’m going to wait for it to appear on bbc iplayer and see if I can take a tv picture.

That would be excellent, Jamie. I'm hoping someone will upload the clip to YouTube as well. It's been years since I used I-Player and it's asking for me to set up a new account. Frankly, it's not worth the hassle for me although I would definitely appreciate seeing the Flamephone......preferably in action!

The Flamephone only gets a brief mention. A fraction of the time given to other items. It’s not shown working with or without gas.

More photos from the tv.

The lady who brought the machine in said her grandfather knew the inventor, Jack Kitchen. The black and white photograph to the right of the machine showed the inventor.

I'm glad to finally see one as well!
Thanks for posting it!

James.

There aren't many in existence, since they were destroyed in the house fires they started...

If the lady wants to sell it, I've certainly got £800-1200 waiting here for it!

Thank you, Jamie, for the excellent stills. No wonder it got short shrift on AR; like the vast majority of the antique trade in general, they have little to no interest in obsolete 20th Century technology.