Questions on a De Luxe Metallascope

[quagmire]

Hello,

I am looking for some detail/pricing on a de luxe metallascope. From what I found this was a Fisher product that was one of the first metal detectors starting back in 1931.

I have a few images but I only have the schematic, which matches the contents of the box to go on for identification. I have not been able to locate anything that matches this to confirm it online. I have pics of the oustide of both boxes, the inside of the box with the label. The second box has a sinlge tube, and an early 1900 military headset (from what I was able to gather) and appears to be the reciever/output device.

My father died back in 2004 and I had all his stuff boxed up and came up with this as I have started going through his things. I would like to try and date and price this, with your help, if possible.

Left the pics as high res for detail.

Thanks,

Christopher

[PVGOLD]

Hi Quagmire

A good start would be a visit to Geotech forum. I believe

that there are some collectors there.

http://www.geotech1.com/forums/index.php

Hope this helps!

Herb

[clay]

Metallascopes are still made today under the name MScope. This is not an original from 1931 as they only had 5 tubes total. The originals had a wooden rod between to wooden boxes, one vertical and one horizontal. The Metallascopes in the wood boxes were all made as they were ordered in Fischer's lab in Palo Alto, California.

Fischer also sold blueprints and schematics to the enthusiast market. The one you have pictured appears to have been made by J.A. Maya in Oroville, California. Possibly between 1931 and ~ 1960. The parts shown were readily available during that period. You might get a firmer date by investigating the headphone manufacture date or looking up the codes on the tubes. With eight tubes it is probably a later design modified by Maya for a special purpose. It appears to be missing the copper coils and the 67.5 volt batteries.

[clay]

Sorry for the double post.

[quagmire]

Thanks for the detail!