17 replies to this topic

[exat808]

I am currently involved in the disposal ( by burning) of over 75kg (NEC) of fireworks and pyrotechnics. I have noticed that some of the fireworks are somewhat "dated" and feel that they may be of interest to collectors/historians. As we are obliged to dispose of the explosive content is there any interest in wrappers or labels that can be removed before destruction?
Sorry I havent got an inventory of everything but its a very mixed load.
I need replies fairly soon as we hope to finish the job at the end of next week.

[Arthur Brown]

I suspect that there is a lot of interest in inert fireworks bodies also in some cases the labels soaked carefully from fired firework bodies.
However the interest will not show unless you can offer some names of makers or models. Old British fireworks being the most likely to be valuable!

[exat808]

I suspect that there is a lot of interest in inert fireworks bodies also in some cases the labels soaked carefully from fired firework bodies.
However the interest will not show unless you can offer some names of makers or models. Old British fireworks being the most likely to be valuable!

Thanks Arthur.
I will try to sort some makes/models early next week. Its not that easy as there are literally boxes of "fireworks various" with each handfull yielding a totally different selection. I guess that Standard, Black Cat and Wells will be collectable British labels - we have seen quite a lot in the last 24 hours.

[Arthur Brown]

Personally I'd suggest that anything with blue touch paper will be most collectible, as would be any of the types no longer available (irregular flight etc!).

[Rip Rap]

I am currently involved in the disposal ( by burning) of over 75kg (NEC) of fireworks and pyrotechnics. I have noticed that some of the fireworks are somewhat "dated" and feel that they may be of interest to collectors/historians. As we are obliged to dispose of the explosive content is there any interest in wrappers or labels that can be removed before destruction?
Sorry I havent got an inventory of everything but its a very mixed load.
I need replies fairly soon as we hope to finish the job at the end of next week.

PLEASE do not destroy any blue touch paper items! You will be destroying part our firework heritage. You may inadvertently destroy something very rare or unique!

Would it not be possible to remove the explosive content of these items by removing clay or card plugs and then encouraging the contents out?

I cant bear to think of what might be getting burnt

[crystal palace fireworks]

This is great news Exat808, thank you,...... just to echo what Arthur has said, if you do come across other names like Astra, Brocks, Benwell, Excelsior, Wessex, Pains etc or anything else unusual or dated, then please do your best to keep them for the society, the labels & empty casings will almost certainly be used for public showing in display cases at some point, or for the museum.

Its a shame that there isn`t a way to record, measure, photograph or test the contents of some dated articles for historical/scientific reasons!

[Richard H]

Slightly mortified to be reading this. Let's hope UKPS can salvage something from it. In the past we have been contacted by various parties about old finds, which we have gone on to acquire and store as items of historic interest.

[Mortartube]

can you take a photo(s) of the stash that you are about to destroy and post it? That way members can immediately identify likely items of historical value.

[exat808]

In response to all the comments and PMs that I've had regarding disposal of old fireworks I can confirm that we will look out for "blue touch papers", and anything that is of British origin. Once the work is completed I will photograph what has been recovered.

[Mixologist]

I just shed a tear.

Please save the good stuff, if, in doubt post pictures!! If your localish i`m more than happy to come and pull out the good stuff so you don't destroy it!

[Richard H]

I have asked Danny if any historic items can be turned over to the UKPS for our growing collections, which we display at public events, preferably in their original condition! I only hope it is not too late to stop these items being destroyed. The UKPS has a duty in its memorandum to protect industrial heritage, and not acting in this case is clearly wrong. I recently read a sorry tail in Fireworks magazine about a find of Schermuly flares turned in to the MCA. Sadly despite a protracted attempt to save these items, they were destroyed. It is a shame UKPS is not consulted more often about finds, before they are contracted for eventual disposal by a third party.

We'd rather see a whole container of Chinese bootleg fireworks go up in smoke than a single item that falls under our remit.

[crystal palace fireworks]

I have asked Danny if any historic items can be turned over to the UKPS for our growing collections, which we display at public events, preferably in their original condition! I only hope it is not too late to stop these items being destroyed. The UKPS has a duty in its memorandum to protect industrial heritage, and not acting in this case is clearly wrong. I recently read a sorry tail in Fireworks magazine about a find of Schermuly flares turned in to the MCA. Sadly despite a protracted attempt to save these items, they were destroyed. It is a shame UKPS is not consulted more often about finds, before they are contracted for eventual disposal by a third party.

We'd rather see a whole container of Chinese bootleg fireworks go up in smoke than a single item that falls under our remit.

Can Danny not find a legal way to delay the destroying of these historical fireworks for a later date until a application is made to transport them for safe storage elsewhere?

For genuine future scientific research/study reasons, these old fireworks should be kept in-tact, let alone just for the labels, we can not condone or allow the sacrilegious destruction of such important articles just because of an ill though-out UN directive, Is this something Wayne has had time to address at HSE level? or can we not take our protest to the UN to protect our human rights as part of our cultural heritage?

[exat808]

Can Danny not find a legal way to delay the destroying of these historical fireworks for a later date until a application is made to transport them for safe storage elsewhere?

For genuine future scientific research/study reasons, these old fireworks should be kept in-tact, let alone just for the labels, we can not condone or allow the sacrilegious destruction of such important articles just because of an ill though-out UN directive, Is this something Wayne has had time to address at HSE level? or can we not take our protest to the UN to protect our human rights as part of our cultural heritage?

The fireworks have been lawfully transported to me and they are now in a licensed store. We will not dispose of any potentially collectable items - rest assured. It may take a while to sort the good from the bad. I will keep the forum posted as we progress.

[digger]

The fireworks have been lawfully transported to me and they are now in a licensed store. We will not dispose of any potentially collectable items - rest assured. It may take a while to sort the good from the bad. I will keep the forum posted as we progress.

If you need anywhere for the legal removal of pyrotechnic compositions to make them inert I am sure we can help.

Edited by digger, 20 June 2011 - 04:50 PM.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Danny, your gesture of transfer & safe keeping in a licensed store (be it temporary or longer term) is very much appreciated by all on the forum and the UKPS in general (at least they were not burned), but I don`t want to sound like an old record or sycophantic in any way, but as you may or may not know, many old british firework manufacturers kept there formulas/compositions/manufacturing/casing construction methods secret for obvious commercial reasons,..... but as we also know, these companies no longer exist with many recipes dying with the owners, so the potential to study, disect, record, or take samples from them in a legal & controlled environment (and hopefully for hobbyists too once legislation allows) some time in the future is so important, not just for us as a pyro society, but for UK science in general.

Hopefully once sorted, these can be transfered to UKPS storage sooner rather than later!