Valveman is the story of one man's lifetime of obsession.
Gerald Wells is Valveman.
His life's work has been to amass one of the world's largest collection of valves, vintage radio and other early apparatus from the pioneering days of wireless communication. These are all kept in his house in London.
This documentary film innovatively blends, using a variety of motion design and filmed reenactments, the last hundred years since radio began through to the early days of television.
The thread for this exploration is the human and personal story of Gerry's lilfe. We meet a man who it seems to have been destined to have one obsession from early childhood to later life.
In a sense Gerry Wells helps us to understand something of an analogue media world now long gone. One that, with the digital age in full flight, but is in fact only a generation from inception to decay.
Running time approx 45 minutes, PAL, region 0 (multi-region).
Available by post from the British Vintage Wireless Society, with all proceeds going to the British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum.
Price £11.50 (including p&p), £12.50 in EEC, Rest of world £13.00. Payments (payable to the "British Vintage Wireless Society") may be sent to Mike Barker, BVWS Chairman, Pound Cottage, Coate, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3LG, England
Available in person for £9.99 from The British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum, West Dulwich, London, and at all BVWS meetings.
Comments from the UK Vintage Radio Forum
I have seen this at the museum and felt it to be a first class production. I had the benefit of seeing it with Gerry Wells and so had his input on it. On the whole it seems that it has been done very accurately, with only some very minor inaccuracies. One radio featured in the programe is the actual one from the event covered. The clips with Gerry in make it complete. Gerry has done superb work with the museum and I am so glad that this programme has been made and that Gerry is able to see other people enjoying it. Some superb music too. I personally loved the details about the 2-pin plug, as it bought back similar memories of myself at a very young age when I would collect any such plugs and sockets I could find.
I got my copy this morning and have watched it twice now, Brilliant! it almost brought tears to my eyes! To everyone concerned, Thanks! An excellent piece of work well worth buying.