Bob Batey was born and raised in Dunston, and it was there, at the age of twenty-one, that his father-in-law gave him his first lamp, one he had carried himself while working at Marley Hill Pit. That single gift lit the fuse for a lifetime of collecting.

Bob began visiting the pit regularly, gathering stories and first-hand accounts from the miners themselves, building a well of knowledge that no book could have given him. Among the treasures kept in the family is a photograph from the last day of Marley Hill Pit, capturing the pit ponies being brought up for the final time.

He became a familiar face at the Lit & Phil and at Beamish Museum, where he spent countless hours researching, and where the connection ran both ways: Beamish later borrowed a number of his lamps to display when they opened their drift mine. He was equally at home at collectors' fairs and antique shops, seeking out pieces wherever he travelled and building a network of contacts that stretched across the world. In an age before the internet, his knowledge came the old-fashioned way, through reading, through conversation, and through genuine friendship with fellow enthusiasts. Collectors from the USA, Australia, Germany and France would call or visit, sometimes for advice, sometimes simply to share a new find with someone who would understand why it mattered.

Bob's real joy came from rescue: finding a lamp that had seen better days and lovingly bringing it back to life, spending hours buffing and polishing until it shone again. Away from the pit and the workbench, he loved to sing the old songs at local folk clubs. He was also, at the time of his passing, in the process of writing a book on the subject closest to his heart. It was sadly never finished, and reams of his notes remain to be gone through. Who knows what may yet come of them.

We are honoured to bring to market the single-owner collection of Bob Batey, the fruit of a lifetime spent collecting and documenting rare and important pieces of mining history.

Highlights include rare Clanny lamps and Muesler-type safety lamps, alongside Davy 7 and 9 lamps, with examples from makers including Hailwood and Ackroyd Ltd, Joseph Cooke, and Patterson. Also included is a large selection of pit tally tokens and checks, spanning collieries across the North and beyond.

Anderson and Garland is one of the UK's largest auction houses and has a worldwide reputation for offering major single-owner collections at auction. Our team of specialists blend expertise and experience with tailored marketing strategies, to ensure a collection is presented in a way that best reflects the passion of its owner and reaches a large and engaged audience. Specialist areas include paintings, coins, militaria, silver, jewellery, books, musical instruments, comics, toys, and a wide range of memorabilia and ephemera.

Request a free valuation through our simple online form, and our team will be in touch with straightforward, expert advice.