Good find! All I ever see is usually rubbish. Reminds me of a sign once that said, "We buy junk, but we sell antiques!".
My sentiments exactly - have yet to buy anything at an antique store!
I stop at every antique shop I can find when traveling, even if it's for a quick minute to ask if they have any engines. They are nothing like they used to be... many are turning into "antique malls" and the owner of the item is rarely there, so they don't deal like they used to... I think most have turned into multi-dealer shops because a single dealer just can't make it anymore. And of course cash means nothing to them nowadays and you're almost always stuck paying sales tax.
The Empire with pump on the previous page had been in the shop for 3 years. The owner now lives in Missouri and I had the guy working at the shop call him to make the deal over the phone. They seemed kind of annoyed by me
A neat thread Nick. Thanks for putting it together.
I have only seen a few engines in antique stores. My wife and I go to estate sales a couple times a month, but nothing purchased so far.
Thanks for picking up the Empire for me. 🤠
Tell us if the pump works.
Tell us if the pump works.
It works, but not very well.
I have cleaned and oiled it. Will require some more fettling.
Nice Jensen there.
The colour of it reminded me of a pretty sad-looking but rare Beggs locomotive that I found in an antique store a few years ago. When I bought it I didn't know what it was, and after I identified it I decided that it was too much for me to attempt to restore properly. The fellow who finally got it didn't see things that way, though; he seemed pretty excited about it.
I just found a picture of the $10.00 Mamod log wagon I mentioned earlier in this thread.
It came sans logs, so I supplied my own.
It came sans logs, so I supplied my own.
A definite improvement over the originals
No photos from thrift shops like Nick does, but I did once score a nice boxed Wilesco D-5 from an antique store, once a year sale, for $15, but was told that the "big" steam engine had sold half an hour earlier. Of course they had no idea what the "big" steam engine might have been!?!?
Got a Mamod MM2 in nice complete condition at a yardsale once for $8.
Then there was the yardsale, just last year, where I picked up a good condition Jensen #100 workshop for $25, and was told they sold the steam engine that went with it for $40 just a little while before. Didn't really need the workshop, but it was too good a deal to pass up, so I took it. About a week later, I saw a want-ad in the local free advertiser asking for the workshop from that yardsale, by the person who bought that engine. Small town syndrome, it turned out that I knew the person, and made arrangements to meet up. Ended up instructing them, so they could teach their grandchild how to operate the steam engine (tin based Jensen #25), along with what else would be needed to run it, and where to get parts for it. Sold them the Jensen #100 workshop for just what I paid for it, and offered further help if they needed it!
Hope the kid really enjoyed it, as few kids get such gifts these days I'm afraid!!!
Nice finds Nick and love that Weeden
with the beam type engine
We don't get much steam stuff around here for sale in the Antique type shops
No photos from thrift shops like Nick does, but I did once score a nice boxed Wilesco D-5 from an antique store, once a year sale, for $15, but was told that the "big" steam engine had sold half an hour earlier. Of course they had no idea what the "big" steam engine might have been!?!?
Got a Mamod MM2 in nice complete condition at a yardsale once for $8.
Then there was the yardsale, just last year, where I picked up a good condition Jensen #100 workshop for $25, and was told they sold the steam engine that went with it for $40 just a little while before. Didn't really need the workshop, but it was too good a deal to pass up, so I took it. About a week later, I saw a want-ad in the local free advertiser asking for the workshop from that yardsale, by the person who bought that engine. Small town syndrome, it turned out that I knew the person, and made arrangements to meet up. Ended up instructing them, so they could teach their grandchild how to operate the steam engine (tin based Jensen #25), along with what else would be needed to run it, and where to get parts for it. Sold them the Jensen #100 workshop for just what I paid for it, and offered further help if they needed it!
Hope the kid really enjoyed it, as few kids get such gifts these days I'm afraid!!!
A great story Stoker. Thanks for sharing it. Made me smile from ear to ear.
