A PRIVATE collection of Victorian microscopes and other scientific instruments belonging to botanist David Bellamy are to go up for auction this week.

The collection of instruments belonging to the television personality and scientist are to be sold at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, North Yorkshire on Wednesday (October 29).

Early microscopes from the 19th century and a Victorian brass-bound mahogany microscope case will be among the items that will be up for sale.

The collection will form part of the auction house’s sale of scientific instruments, cameras and natural history items.

There will be two days of viewing ahead of the sale on Monday (October 27) and Tuesday (October 28) when David Bellamy OBE is hoping to revisit Tennants for a few hours to view the sale himself.

Chairman of the auction house, Rodney Tennant said Mr Bellamy had planned to visit the auction house informally over lunch time on both days. He said: “This is a great opportunity to see the man himself in familiar surroundings, viewing his own life’s collection and passion”.

The author and television presenter studied biological sciences before reading botany and lecturing in the subject at Durham University and has spent many years living in Hamsterley Forest in County Durham.

Throughout his varied career he has been an active environmental campaigner and continues to encourage the education of young people on the topic.

Wednesday’s sale will also include an array of other telescopes, sextants, scales and weights, lanterns, medical items and natural history and taxidermy items.

For further details, contact Jane Tennant on 01969-623780 or email; jane.tennant@tennants-ltd.co.uk