Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: Nick on December 15, 2019, 01:38:33 pm
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Thanks, Charlie. I hadn't seen that one before.
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Thanks for the details Gil.
He made running that Paradox look easy.
I found one other YouTuber with videos (other than Doug’s) of a Paradox Running.
https://youtu.be/bRqU1HZdJmc
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The auction from 2016 did cough up the only known example.
It belonged to Carl Swanstrom, a prolific collector of tin toys, antique radios, steam engines, and a plethora of other engineering oddities... even a Theramin or two.
12 years ago Carl had a gas bottle filled with an accurate copy of street gas (illuminating gas) and with it filmed and published the only YouTube video of a Paradox gas engine running. For the next 6 years it remained the only one published until our own CrazyDoug published one of his running at Coolspring. The Illuminating gas that Carl had blended was 70% hydrogen, 20% methane, and 10% carbon monoxide.
I advised his widow to turn over the collections to appropriate and reputable auctioneers and I provided names and contact info for a few. I advised her not to let in any "pickers" who claimed to be his friend as they will most likely try to pick the best items at bargain prices. I spoke with her 1-2 years after Carl passed. She said one fellow came in and bought a few items, came back and and bought more. When he came back a 3rd time she finally told him no more and she told me she finally figured out he was doing exactly as I had predicted.
About 3-4 years after his passing, I tried to reach her and a search found she had also passed by then. It was his children who chose the lousy auction service. I don't believe they ever had the benefit of knowing the names of auctioneers I had passed on to her.
Back to the vinyl base Jensen. It was a great buy for Paul, as were several other very rare Jensens. The auctioneer did a horrible job. He was putting 2-4 engines of different brands together and selling them as lots or box lots. None were truly described properly. There were other odd lots that may have included an engine, and a couple completely unrelated toys or parts. If memory serves me, I believe it was Wayne Yoder who ran the auction. I did not bid on anything as the holidays were approaching rapidly and I thought the prices would be high.
To say the least..... That was a tactical error on my part.
Here are Carl's videos of the Paradox Gas Engine.
https://youtu.be/GryagG9Fme0
https://youtu.be/1W4cEwqV62g
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Interesting topic Nick.
Sounds like this is a one of one, but you never know.
The type of unicorn that keeps us searching and searching.....
The two pictures above are different angles, but there is staining on both the firebox and the base that look to be an exact match. I believe Gil knew the collector of the auction in 2016. Unfortunately he has passed and his wife found a very poor auctioneer... Paul found some real steals on that auction, including an Atomic 90, and passed up many as well...
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You'd think the vinyl wouldn't hold up well with the heat in the firebox. Maybe that's why it's a one-off.
Agree, it's a weird combination...
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You'd think the vinyl wouldn't hold up well with the heat in the firebox. Maybe that's why it's a one-off.
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Interesting topic Nick.
Sounds like this is a one of one, but you never know.
The type of unicorn that keeps us searching and searching.....
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No I haven't found one... yet :D :D
Are there any known examples out there? other than the example on the museum page and the one that we all (except for Paul (27ace27)) missed at auction 3 years ago? I assume the one sold in 2016 is the same one shown on the museum page...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49223973376_5f356693e1.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49223490698_8ed540ae41_z.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49223490703_91ab246019_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49224196712_d2dcd371e8_c.jpg)