Inventions and Technology Auction
Updated September 30, 2026
| Date | September 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM CDT |
| Type | Online only |
| Auction house | Donley Auctions |
| Location | 8512 South Union Road, Union, Illinois, 60180 · more auctions in Union |
| Lots | 478 |
| Estimates | $20 – $100,000 |
What's in this auction
478 lots, mostly antiques & furniture (122), electronics & gaming (14), firearms & militaria (7), toys & collectibles (3). 478 lots have photos and 452 have full descriptions. Pre-sale estimates $20–$100,000 across 452 priced lots. Bidding is online through the auction house's catalog.
Highest-estimated lots
- Framed 1770 French Coromandel Coast Map — est. $2,000–$100,000
- Male Articulate Skeleton in Coffin Fraternal Lodge — est. $3,000–$100,000
- Victor Electric Co. Electrotherapy Cabinet — est. $1,000–$100,000
- Edison Model 32A Ticker Tape Machine — est. $10,000–$100,000
- Early Crocker-Wheeler Bipolar Motor — est. $1,500–$100,000
From the auction house
Scientific Precision, Historic Optical Marvels, and Rare Coin-Op Treasures Unite in an Unforgettable Event Step into an extraordinary showcase where centuries of groundbreaking innovation, artistic craftsmanship, and mechanical wonder come alive. Featuring premier selections from the distinguished Dale Beeks, Allen Koenigsberg, and Howard Hazelcorn collections, this curated auction presents a captivating journey across the frontiers of early science, visual culture, and vintage entertainment. The catalog spans an exceptional breadth of rare material. Precision scientific and surveying instruments anchor the event, highlighted by 19th- and early 20th-century brass theodolites, transit levels, maritime sextants, and research microscopes from master makers including Bausch & Lomb, Cooke, Troughton & Simms, E.R. Watts & Son, and Keuffel & Esser. Early visual media and pre-cinema wonders abound, offering cased daguerreotypes, rare daguerrian maker tokens, ambrotypes, magic lantern slides, zoetropes, and classic stereoview collections. Collectors of technical and industrial history will find early electrical and medical equipment—ranging from historic electrotherapeutic cabinets and quack medicine devices to telegraph sounders and antique carbon-filament light bulbs. Rounding out the lineup is a vibrant selection of vintage entertainment, anchored by antique Seeburg and Wurlitzer coin pianos, historic theater architectural elements, and vintage advertising. These artifacts embody an era of relentless exploration and brilliant ingenuity. Every hand-engraved brass scale, silvered photographic plate, and intricate gear mechanism carries the spirit of the pioneers who mapped uncharted territories, preserved fleeting moments in time, and brought automated music to lively parlor halls. For everyone devoted to Chasing History, this event offers a rare chance to own tangible milestones of human progress. Auctioneers of antiques. Collectors of cool. Veterans of vintage. We invite
In this auction (478 lots)
Categories: Antiques & Furniture (122) · Electronics & Gaming (14) · Firearms & Militaria (7) · Toys & Collectibles (3) · Tools & Shop Equipment (2) · Pottery, China & Glass (1)
- Lot 1001 — W. F. Stanley Surveying Compass W/Case & Tripod
- Lot 1002 — Vintage French Brass Surveyor Compass Set
- Lot 1003 — Gustav Heyde Dresden Transit & Tripod
- Lot 1004 — Antique K&E Theodolite & Tripod Set
- Lot 1005 — Bausch & Lomb No. 55 Engineer's Transit
- Lot 1006 — Cooke, Troughton & Simms T65 & Tripod
- Lot 1007 — Antique Saegmuller Brass Mining Transit
- Lot 1007a — Wooden Surveyors Tripod
- Lot 1008 — Inter-War David White Navy "NOL" Aero Theodolite
- Lot 1009 — Bausch & Lomb Model 603 Theodolite & Case
- Lot 1010 — Warren-Knight Model 25C Survey Transit Case/Tripod
- Lot 1011 — Vintage Dietzen Surveying Wooden Tripod
- Lot 1012 — W. Mansfield Water Finder Kit, Case W/Tripod
- Lot 1013 — Antique Troughton & Simms London Theodolite
- Lot 1014 — Bausch & Lomb Saegmuller Precise Level
- Lot 1015 — Cooke Troughton & Simms Theodolite w/ Case
- Lot 1016 — Antique Spears & Co. Surveyor's Compass
- Lot 1017 — Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Survey Transit W/Case
- Lot 1017a — Wooden Surveyor Transit Tripod
- Lot 1018 — Vintage Dietzgen Wooden Surveyor Tripod
- Lot 1019 — Antique C.L. Berger & Sons Survey Tripod
- Lot 1020 — Wooden Surveyors Tripod
- Lot 1021 — Wood Surveying Transit Tripod
- Lot 1022 — Brass & Wood Surveyor Tripod
- Lot 1023 — Antique W. & L.E. Gurley Surveying Tripod
- Lot 1024 — Keuffel & Esser Co. NY Antique Tripod
- Lot 1025 — Antique Dennert & Pape Brass Theodolite
- Lot 1026 — Keuffel & Esser Brass Alidade w/ Case
- Lot 1027 — W.F. Stanley Antique Brass Theodolite
- Lot 1028 — Troughton & Simms Transit Theodolite
- Lot 1029 — David White Co Surveying Tripod
- Lot 1030 — Warren-Knight Wooden Surveyor Tripod
- Lot 1031 — WWII Ross Admiralty Binoculars Tripod
- Lot 1032 — Vintage Dietzgen Surveyors Grade Rod Set
- Lot 1033 — Antique German L. Tesdorf Surveying Level
- Lot 1034 — 1940 E.R. Watts & Son Brass Theodolite
- Lot 1035 — Bausch & Lomb Transit Serial No. 11309
- Lot 1036 — Antique Keuffel & Esser Brass Level
- Lot 1037 — 1883 Harmon Transit Level
- Lot 1038 — Antique A. Krüss Hamburg Spectrometer
- Lot 1039 — Heath & Co. Antique Artificial Horizon
- Lot 1040 — 1932 Keuffel & Esser Surveying Sextant
- Lot 1041 — c. 1910 Buff & Buff Surveyor's Transit
- Lot 1042 — Brass Marine Sextant in Box-Calcutta
- Lot 1043 — Antique Bausch & Lomb Sextant Model 24
- Lot 1044 — Antique Hahn Instrument Co. Mining Transit
- Lot 1045 — Bausch & Lomb Model 50 Railroad Transit
- Lot 1046 — E.R. Watts 1925 Brass Theodolite Set
- Lot 1047 — Bausch & Lomb Precision Level & Case
- Lot 1048 — WWII British Military Mark IV Theodolite
- Lot 1049 — Bausch & Lomb Model 121 Wye Level
- Lot 1050 — Cooke, Troughton & Simms Theodolite W/Case
- Lot 1051 — Bausch & Lomb Model 90 Alidade & Case
- Lot 1052 — Hildebrand Strassburg Theodolite & Case
- Lot 1053 — Tamaya & Co. Japanese Transit Level
- Lot 1054 — Dr. Kolzer-Sprenger Pilot Theodolite
- Lot 1055 — Antique C. Baker London Theodolite & Case
- Lot 1056 — E.R. Watts & Son London Transit Theodolite W/Key
- Lot 1057 — West London Surveying Transit And Case
- Lot 1058 — 1907 W.F. Stanley Transit Theodolite
- Lot 1059 — Bausch & Lomb "Gavatt" Dumpy Level W/Case
- Lot 1060 — Tamaya & Co. Japanese WWII Theodolite
- Lot 1061 — 1920s Soviet Tochnaya Mekhanika Theodolite
- Lot 1062 — Stanley "Eltham" 1949 British Theodolite
- Lot 1063 — WWI Bausch & Lomb M1915 B.C. Telescope
- Lot 1064 — Keuffel & Esser DARAD Bubble Sextant
- Lot 1065 — Keuffel & Esser Surveying Aneroid
- Lot 1066 — Keuffel & Esser Co Trough Compass Instrument
- Lot 1067 — Keuffel & Esser Surveying Aneroid W/Case
- Lot 1068 — Vintage USGS Short & Mason Altimeter
- Lot 1069 — Large-Format Prismatic Surveying Compass W/Case
- Lot 1070 — Antique Brass Prismatic Surveyor's Compass W/Case
- Lot 1071 — Bausch & Lomb Optical Collection & Lens
- Lot 1072 — Warren Knight Station Pointer 1940 WWII Navy
- Lot 1073 — Keuffel & Esser 4286 Planimeter
- Lot 1074 — Antique Wooden Cased Trigonometer Drafting Tool
- Lot 1075 — Antique Brass Three-Arm Station Pointer
- Lot 1076 — Vintage K&E Planimeter & USGS Station Pointer
- Lot 1077 — Vintage Hand Level Survey Instrument
- Lot 1078 — Antique Brass Topographic Leveling Survey Device
- Lot 1079 — 2 Antique Surveyor Compasses J W Queen
- Lot 1080 — 2 Antique Brass Spirit Levels Casartelli
- Lot 1081 — Antique Abney Level Clinometer Survey Instrument
- Lot 1082 — Antique Brass Abney Level F.W. & R. King
- Lot 1083 — Vintage Maritime Binnacle Compass
- Lot 1084 — 1910 HMS Worcester Station Pointer Set-Named
- Lot 1085 — 1938 US General Land Office Wall Map
- Lot 1085a — Polished Onyx-Style Globe W/Stand
- Lot 1086 — Framed 1770 French Coromandel Coast Map
- Lot 1087 — Framed Cleartype County-Town US Map
- Lot 1088 — Geneva Lens Measure Optical Gauge
- Lot 1089 — Antique Machinist Precision Inclinometer Pair
- Lot 1089a — Elliott Bros London Artificial Horizon
- Lot 1090 — Antique Max Kohl Optical Apparatus
- Lot 1091 — Crookes Radiometer w/ Cathode Ray
- Lot 1092 — Antique Townson & Mercer Radiometer
- Lot 1093 — Antique Central Scientific Co. Vacuum Pump
- Lot 1094 — Unsigned Antique Voss-Style Influence Machine
- Lot 1095 — 19th C. Ramsden Friction Electrostatic Generator
- Lot 1096 — Antique Vacuum Fountain Apparatus
- Lot 1097 — 19th-C. Double-Barrel Vacuum Pump Set Lot
- Lot 1098 — Antique Döbereiner Platinum Lighter
- Lot 1099 — 19thC German Biedermeier Era Dobereiner Lighter
- Lot 1100 — Antique German Physics Demonstration Kit
- Lot 1101 — Cenco Laboratory Physics Apparatus
- Lot 1101a — McIntosh Electrotherapeutic Cabinet
- Lot 1101b — Antique Victor Medical Galvanic Switchboard
- Lot 1102 — Julius King Optical Trial Lens Set
- Lot 1103 — Vintage Orthopedic & Prosthetic Collection
- Lot 1104 — Antique Leather & Wood Prosthetic Leg W/Stand
- Lot 1104a — Pair of Mid-20th C. Prosthetic Leg Cutaways
- Lot 1105 — 1910 Nachet Petrological Microscope
- Lot 1106 — Antique Bausch & Lomb Brass Microscope
- Lot 1107 — Antique Spencer Brass Microscope w/ Case
- Lot 1108 — Antique Bausch & Lomb Research Microscope
- Lot 1108a — Antique Oak Full-View Commercial Display Showcase
- Lot 1109 — Davis & Kidder Magneto-Electric Machine
- Lot 1110 — Antique Gundlach 1876 Brass Microscope
- Lot 1111 — Antique Oak & Marble Apothecary Scale
- Lot 1112 — Vintage General Electric OZONATOR unit #3570 Early
- Lot 1112a — RARE Model Range Electric Fireless Cookstove
- Lot 1113 — Western Electric Certified C Test Set
- Lot 1114 — Victorian S. Maw Son & Thompson Mortar Set (4)
- Lot 1115 — 1920's Wappler Telatherm Diathermy Machine
- Lot 1115a — Antique Josef Leiter Medical Instrument Set
- Lot 1115b — Antique Marble Top Prescription Scale
- Lot 1115c — Medical Faradic Battery Quack Device
- Lot 1115d — 1907 Electro-Life Generator Kit
- Lot 1115e — Vintage Bell System KS-8455 Line Loop Tester
- Lot 1115f — Leeds & Northrup Light Beam Galvanometer
- Lot 1115h — Antique Physics Leyden Jars, Set of 2
- Lot 1115j — Quack Medical Induction Coil Kit
- Lot 1115k — Leeds & Northrup Wheatstone Resistance Bridge
- Lot 1115l — Antique Weston Model 324 Galvanometer
- Lot 1115m — Antique Toy & Demonstration Electric Motor Trio
- Lot 1115n — Vintage Metzger Mechanical Strain Gauge Pair
- Lot 1116 — Antique German Glass Beer Hydrometer
- Lot 1117 — Bausch & Lomb Professional Brass Microscope
- Lot 1118 — Otto Flemming Faradic Battery No. 3
- Lot 1119 — Bausch & Lomb Binocular Microscope & Case
- Lot 1120 — Vintage Rallie & Boston Exercise Machine Lot
- Lot 1121 — Antique Quack Medical Battery Quire Box
- Lot 1122 — Antique Bausch & Lomb Brass Microscope
- Lot 1123 — Bausch & Lomb Antique Brass Microscope
- Lot 1124 — Antique Bausch & Lomb Microscope Set
- Lot 1125 — Roche Electric Quack Shock Machine
- Lot 1125a — Vintage Anatomical Model Male Clay & Adams
- Lot 1126 — Bausch & Lomb Petrographic Microscope in Case
- Lot 1127 — Arnold Copper Steam Sterilizer Top
- Lot 1128 — 1929 Meco-Sazh Electric Hair Massager
- … and 328 more lots
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