A hung railway permissible electric signal lamp; and a selection of electric lamps

IN PERSON: If you want to experience the atmosphere of the Auction Room the best way to do this is always to turn up in person. You simply register your personal details at Reception (so leave at least 10 minutes for this before your lot in case there is a queue) and you are issued with a paddle number which you hold up to the auctioneer when you wish to bid. If you haven't done so already you can view your lot(s) this way on the same day. There is time before each auction starts to do this however if you ask the staff on duty they can bring lots to you for inspection if the auction has began.

COMMISSION/ABSENTEE BID: If you are unable to attend the sale in person or would like the Auctioneer to bid on your behalf you can leave a bid on our website when registered (up to 30 minutes before the auction begins) and you'll receive and e-mail confirming them. Alternatively, send them to bids@andersonandgarland.com or telephone our team on 0191 430 3000 and we'll be happy to add them for you. We will try to secure the item for you as reasonably as is allowed by other bids and the reserve price, if any. Commissions placed by telephone, fax or e-mail are made only at the buyer's own risk.

INTERNET BIDDING: You an also bid live via our website. When choosing to bid live via www.andersonandgarland.com you will need to register, using a bank card, to verify your address details. We would ask for you to register before the sale to make sure that you are verified for when you come to bid in the auction. To bid live on the sale day you will access the sale by going to www.andersonandgarland.com and clicking on the sale this will have a grey banner across the sale photograph which says 'bid live'. Please click on this and it will take you to the sale. Please note the bid live banner only appears once the sale commences on the sale day and is not there beforehand. 

You can also bid live on www.the-saleroom.com however this is hosting site charges an additional 6% (plus VAT).

TELEPHONE: Telephone bids are only available for lots estimated at over £250. Lots which are bought for less than £250 via telephone bidding will incur a £10 (plus VAT) per lot charge. We only accept telephone bidding registrations up to the day prior to the lot in question going under the hammer. At the point of registration all new bidders will be required to submit proof of identification and address. This can be either a current driver's licence or ID card showing the registered address, or a passport together with a recent utility bill bearing the registered address which can be emailed to a.orgill@andersonandgarland.com. Only when this identification is received can the registration process be completed and your telephone line will then be secured for you. As the number of telephone lines are limited, early booking is recommended. (We also recommend that you leave an “emergency cover bid" in case we are unable to reach you by telephone). Please note - there are inherent dangers with telephone bidding; despite our best efforts, Anderson & Garland Ltd. may be unable to contact the intending bidder at the appropriate time. All such arrangements are therefore made entirely at the intending bidder’s risk.

Auction: The Bob Batey Collection: A Single-Owner Sale of Mining Lamps and Artefacts, 17th Sep, 2026

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.

Viewing

Mon 14/09/26 10am-3pm
Tues 15/09/26 10am-3pm

View all lots in this sale

For full Auction Terms and Conditions please click here.

While an identification of damage is given in some instances, an absence of such advice does not imply the lot is free from defect. All condition reports whether verbal or in writing are given as a matter of courtesy and are statements of opinion. Condition reports are not exhaustive and may not encompass all defects deemed to be fair wear and tear which may be commensurate with age. The Auctioneers will not be responsible for any defects not mentioned in condition reports. All prospective buyers are strongly advised to inspect any lot on which they intend to bid and fully satisfy themselves as to condition and accuracy of any description applied to a lot. Any post-sale enquiries from buyers must be made within 10 working days of the auction.

Have you got something like this that you'd like to Auction? Just let us know and we'll be pleased to give you some advice.