Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
What’s it worth?
Q We have an early wood-effect Atari home games console. It is from the late 1970s and is in excellent condition. We have the packaging (in OK condition), the controllers, and several games. Is this collectable today? Michael A Ward, Reading, Berkshire
What you have is the original classic, mass produced machine, first released in 1977 in the US for $199. It came here in 1978. First called the Atari VCS, it later became the 2600. A good system, in the packaging, is probably worth £100-£150. This black plastic and mock wood design is known as Woody. The earliest, made in Sunnydale, California, had chrome switches and were heavier – later ones were from Hong Kong. Q I have a Don Bradman jigsaw from the Berwick “autographed” series. There’s no date but it says it is No 1 in the set. Do you know the date, and how big the series was? Neil A Taylor, via email Cricket memorabilia is high on the wish list for many, though auction highlights in more recent years have proven to be important bats. Released in the 1950s, your jigsaw features one of the great cricketers, Don Bradman – though it doesn’t carry an actual original signature. If complete (220 pieces) and NICE PIECE in great condition, it should fetch up to £20 or so. Q As a founder of 1960s band The Vendors, which became The ’N Betweens and then Slade, I have a demo of us on the Domino Label. Recorded around 1962, it features Dave Hill lead guitar, Mick Marson second guitar, Don Powell drums and Bill Duffy on bass. Its four tracks include Don’t Leave Me Now (written by Dave Hill and myself). I’d love to know its value. John A Howells, via email
Music memorabilia is excitingly collectable. This “traditional” demo disc, used early in the creation of a record, is rare so not easy to value. I’d imagine it could easily be a few hundred pounds upwards. Great to have a true collectable from one of the artists behind it in one of the most exciting periods of modern music.