Gold Prospecting equipment - drywasher? urgent help needed

[foundit1]

I was at an auction today (Australia). An aquaintance said bid on the item for him as he was going home for no more than $100.00. Well I bid $155.00 and have since been offerred $180.00 by someone else. The thing is I haven't told the person yet I bought it and did they want it for over the price because I am wondering if I got a real antique worth loads. For the little research I could do on the computer it may be a drywasher. It is wooden. Really well made. The wood/varnish is yellowie in colour. It has green canvas bellows. A long separate tray and three little trays. It has carved US and serial numbers on the trays. The lady who owned it says she bought it new 30 years ago for $6,000 ? (seems too much) Does anyone know prices, names, brand or an antique website. Anything to help make my mind up before tomorrow. Thanks

 

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[Angelo]

A picture would help.

Does it look something like this?

This company has been making them for about 40 years and are being sold new for about $700.00

 

[Emperor Findus Cladius]

When I was in the USMC stationed in SoCal, I used to go out to a few claims of a gold club I was with and used a drywasher very similar to that. This was around 1986. I bought mine new and it cost me right around $200.

 

[Desertdigger]

The "Beck" and other drywasher all very much like the pictures already posted have been made since the 1800S, the Becks all in the 1930's had hand carved serial #s they bring about $250 if in good shape. The reproduction rights have gone through lots of hands since then and they are still made and sell for about the same. I made a few in the 1980'S and sold them around Stanton and branded with a hot wire serial #s and FMB on the frame and tray, the #s were a joke and as I remember started at like 11843 or something, all mine were made with Red Oak and clear varnished. I had a repro Beck made in Randsburg, Ca and later bought an original at a yard sale in Congress ,AZ but they are long gone now. They were super gold getters, we used a 1 1/2 horse Briggs to drive them.
At Coolgardie , CA there was a guy who had a bank of 4 repo Becks all running together with solar powered electric motors and fed by a homemade conveyor made with an extension ladder and washing machine rollers.
Worked good!

 

[extractor]

bump

 

[CRUSADER]

bump

It was posted on the 1 Apr 2006

 

[IronSpike]

bump

It was posted on the 1 Apr 2006

How do you get a green check on an old thread like that

 

[extractor]

bump

It was posted on the 1 Apr 2006

How do you get a green check on an old thread like that

Well with the prices of gold now. and what I've read about Becks and even had some old timers mention these drywashers, I thought it would be a good post to revive .

 

[IronSpike]

bump

It was posted on the 1 Apr 2006

How do you get a green check on an old thread like that

Well with the prices of gold now. and what I've read about Becks and even had some old timers mention these drywashers, I thought it would be a good post to revive .

You're right extractor a good revive of a 'relative' cheap prospecting equipment

I ought to check into prospecting around here in NC as gold for the US mint was provided from here prior to the California gold rush

Have you gold prospected much extractor and which equipment do you use/recommend?

http://www.russfordprospecting.com/puffers.htm

 

[extractor]

Iornspike Ill send ya a PM