Thanks for the info ColFord.

Bunsen Honeydew well I don’t like it and consider it sharp practice and it does stop me leaving advanced bids of any value greater than £6-7. I just have to live with it.

The auction house is on a trading estate which is located on land which was RAF Burtonwood so it is possible that these data plates have their origin there. Incidentally, there is now absolutely nothing left of RAF Burtonwood, (unless buried, of course) the vast apron which was the last remaining feature  has now been ground up.  The usual thing industrial estates and housing with road names like “Lockheed”.

So the plates did not sell in the timed auction ending on Sunday and they are now lotted in the Home & Garden auction on this Wednesday 31 July 2024 starting at 09:00. The lowest hammer price they will accept is £6. If they do not sell then they may enter them again in 2 weeks or they will bin them. I am not personally interested in them but if they are heading for the skip I will try and get them.