Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
Builds, Repairs, Show Your Machines! => Videos The Office of Steam Cinema => Topic started by: txlabman on May 06, 2019, 03:40:36 pm
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Sounds like that one needs to be sent to @St Paul Steam for repair!
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While on a recent trip visiting another collector, I have learned that at least one other set of swings is known to exist. It came available at an engine show shortly after Rich’s ebay win. It was very rough and repainted blue, I believe it only had 1 original seat left on it…
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There are no known originals in existence.
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I was looking for something else and came across this old thread just now from @txlabman - figured I'll respond, incase someone else stumbled on it ;-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k3rxvn6R5A
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Such a well made piece-running at just the right speed. Well done, Bruce!
Charlie, thanks for such a great video and informative thread.
You are Welcome Benny. I hope you enjoyed reading Don’s book.
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Such a well made piece-running at just the right speed. Well done, Bruce!
Charlie, thanks for such a great video and informative thread.
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What year did Empire start?
Note: All information has been taken from Don Stinson's Book on the Metal Ware Corporation and its related companies.
It's a complicated answer, but the earliest engines were from 1918.
What eventually became known as the Empire Line of Steam Toys produced by Metal Ware Corporation is an amalgamation of three companies: The D.C. Hughes & Company (aka The Elektro Mfg. Co.); Harvey Electric Co. (aka the Hughes Company) and Metal Ware Corporation.
The D.C. Hughes & Company of Chicago Illinois (later renamed "The Elektro Mfg. Co.") began manufacturing electrical toys about 1918. They only made two steam models for production: a Cast Iron Base (Black), and, then to reduce manufacturing costs. they later switched to a pressed steal base (initially Black but some later models were Red). I have never seen a Red one. They also produced a prototype, the Toy Elektro Twin Cylinder, and there are only two known examples: mine and one owned by Dick Cutler.
Metal Ware was founded in 1920 in Two Rivers, Wisconsin to produce kitchen utensils (which they still produce today).
Harvey Electric Co. (also known as the Hughes Company) was founded in Chicago, Illinois around 1920. They initially produced the Empire/Empco line of Steam Toys.
In the early 1920's, Metal Ware, looking to expand, acquired the Empire/Empco Electric toy line from Harvey Electric Co. Harvey at some prior point bought the rights to the D.C. Hughes Elektro Toy line, but the records have been lost.
So, that's why you see lots of different logos on Empire Steam Engines (e.g. Empire; EMPCO; Elektro; Harvey; DC Hughes; and Raven Toy Works), and, to complicate matters further, they l also licensed the line to others including Bing; Chicago Apparatus Co.; Central Scientific Co. and Great Northern Mfg. Co.).
From 1941-1945, the Metal Ware produced no Steam Toys shifting its production to support the war effort.
By the late 1950's, Metal Ware was down to producing only the No. 43 Steam Engine and the No. 56 Windmill Accessory.
Toy Production completely ceased in 1967.
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Bruce, I saw your Empire Stride Swings at NAMES 2019 and
it is truly a great looking accessory that you have made.
Thanks Carl.
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That sure makes for a nice display - love watching the #55 running the swings. Very nice!
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Bruce, I saw your Empire Stride Swings at NAMES 2019 and
it is truly a great looking accessory that you have made.
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What year did Empire start?
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I didn't know you didn't have a copy of Don Stinson's book Nick. For about 24 hours, I had three copies of it, but now I am back down to one. One stayed with Benny and the other has been sent to Bruce.
If you come across another, please let me know ;)
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As of this writing I am seated on a couch in a log cabin high in Mt. Leconte facing the "Great Smokey Mtns" near Gatlinburg Tn. Taking a break and catching up on my favorite steam forum....Charlie that was a very kind and generous write up, thank you 😉...no legend here though, just a cobbler that occasionally turns up with a fun (to me) project of fleeting interest...& I love doing that.
Thanks for the kind words folks.
I hope you and your lovely wife are enjoying your vacation Bruce.
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As of this writing I am seated on a couch in a log cabin high in Mt. Leconte facing the "Great Smokey Mtns" near Gatlinburg Tn. Taking a break and catching up on my favorite steam forum....Charlie that was a very kind and generous write up, thank you 😉...no legend here though, just a cobbler that occasionally turns up with a fun (to me) project of fleeting interest...& I love doing that.
Thanks for the kind words folks.
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Good to see Bruce and his creation in motion (and slow motion).
Those swings are awesome and the perfect accessory for the Empire collector that wants something extremely rare.
I also liked the Jensen 55...looks just like one I bought a week ago from Bruce!!!
Rog
That "IS" the same #55G you purchased a week later Rog.
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Great video Charlie, very special one with Bruce running the Jensen 8)
And that swing looks very familiar ;) ;)
I do not have the Empire Book, do we not know who owned or owns the example from that?
Underneath the picture in Don Stinson's Empire book it says "Photograph Courtesy of Art Gaier". But, it is not a photograph. It's a graphic illustration as far as I can tell.
I didn't know you didn't have a copy of Don Stinson's book Nick. For about 24 hours, I had three copies of it, but now I am back down to one. One stayed with Benny and the other has been sent to Bruce.
Anyone know Art Gaier? He is listed in the Subscriber List for Toy Engine Collector as of June 28, 1995 as living in Versailles, Ohio. Also, a Dan Gaier is listed in the April, 1996 issue as living in Piqua, Ohio.
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Great video Charlie, very special one with Bruce running the Jensen 8)
And that swing looks very familiar ;) ;)
There are no known originals in existence.
I do not have the Empire Book, do we not know who owned or owns the example from that?
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Bruce, you never fail to impress mate!
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Good to see Bruce and his creation in motion (and slow motion).
Those swings are awesome and the perfect accessory for the Empire collector that wants something extremely rare.
I also liked the Jensen 55...looks just like one I bought a week ago from Bruce!!!
Rog
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Yes he is...
Thanks Pete.
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Brilliant......and correct Bruce is a legend.
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This is a video of the St Paul Steam Replica Stride Swings which was filmed at the NAMES Expo 2019.
Here is the description that I included with the video on my YouTube Channel:
“The Empire Company supposedly manufactured this steam toy accessory from 1939-1941. The price in the 1939 Catalog and Advertisements (one is included in the video) was $1.50.
There are no known originals in existence.
A talented machinist and popular YouTube Channel Host, St Paul Steam, created several replica version of the Empire Stride Swings in 2019.
This video was recorded at the North American Engineering Society 2019 Expo.
The Empire Stride Swings are being driven by a Jensen 55G which has been modified and enhanced by St Paul Steam.
The video was recorded with my DJI Osmo Pocket and edited with iMovie on my iPad.”
https://youtu.be/O_L8wDo1whg