This is the other engine I got from SlowJoey that I bought outside of eBay and was in Carl's collection. It is shown in Donald Stilson's Empire book on page 63. The engine is a Empire #43 from the bottom of the base and I am guessing manufactured in the 60s? On the top side of the base there is a silkscreen label: "
Laboratory Materials Co. - Chicago 21, Illinois". I haven't been able to find anything about this company on the internet.
She is a dandy for sure, I say nearly NOS. Very nice paint all around and the nickel in near perfect shape. The sight glass doesn't even leak and inside the smoke stack is very clean too, along with the screw hole on the tank. I am thinking very, very low milage on this engine and kept somewhere safe all the years. It even came with how Carl bought it off eBay in 2004 from "Antiquegypsy". There were 12 bids and his final price was $178.28. I
love having this eBay print out from 2004!
https://youtu.be/ffI9oi4aYRo
Now after a little polish and light cleaning all around!
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An awesome addition to your collection Rich!
I have never seen one.
Congratulations.
Charlie
Thanks Charlie - I know you have a lots of 43s in your collection (I love that video of them on your YouTube channel).
I have a 90 "replacement" coming via a eBay win that no one else bid on (mine is not in so good condition but it was horribly bad/dead before I started working on it). I also have a B-43/#43 Water Pumper & Reversing Lever with oscillating cylinder that I negotiated with SlowJoey outside of eBay (I am pretty sure is pictured in Donald Stilson's Empire book at the bottom of page 43).
I think I am now down to looking for these B/No. 43's: one with straps, one with just the water pump (no reverse lever?), and I guess the one with the pressure gauge. I think these are all oscillating cylinder engines and the gauge one is a bit of a unicorn I think.
It may not do much, but what it does is wonderful!
That is certainly one beautiful Unicorn you now have in your stable!!!
One among many, I should add.
Thank you Stoker, you are always near to make me feel really good about my buys <3
I have steamed this little gal up about a 1/2 dozen times since my video & cleaning - she goes through water FAST. Matter of fact I almost ran her out of water on my video!!! She is fun to watch and the red/white pattern on the blade pretty much hypnotizes me LOL. I am pretty sure the turbine has a bearing of some sort for it to rotate so nicely - I can barely blow on it and it will rotate. Then when it settles it will just bounces back and forth until coming to a full stop. There isn't a way to inside the turbine, it is sealed up - so no way to oil it.
You are acquiring such a nice collection of Empire engines , many uber rare...very impressive Rich. I like this one.
Thank you Bruce! I am no ware in the game like you guys (you all have wonderful collections) but I do have a "bee in my bonnet" for Empires that is for sure. Now if I could find a B43 side pump, B43 Strap Tank, and B-43 Gauge, I think I'll have at least one main example of all the engines. This not taking in account different bakelite knobs (red/black) and different levers for whistles/throttles...
There has to be a good story on this turbine that came from Empire as a No.43 and was enhanced by this mysterious "Laboratory Materials Company" out of Chicago 21, Illinois. Perhaps it was a limited edition to celebrate the Empire 1920's Turbine towards the end of Empire's life as a Steam Engine company? It is in such good shape that it leads me to believe it was very special engine and someone at some point knew it was. I even tried to find the eBay seller from 2004 but that eBay user don't exist anymore.
One the 2004 eBay print out, the seller's username has their email address next to it, it's a @aol address that I emailed but it bounced back to me. Seeing the seller isn't on eBay anymore I assume they are gone, if so RIP.
I just found there is a Empire model number that isn't listed in the Empire book,
Model 62 that I saw on Retro Steam Tech YouTube. Seems there is a
Short (Cooper) with cylinder action and a
Long (Nickel/Oscillating?) though that one was in pretty bad shape at the start of the video.
Granted I am also not counting the
B40 Hot Air engine (or the
mesh cooler),
B-39 Magnetic engine, or the B-44 (no one has seen the 44 outside of the Empire book). Though I have to admit with them having their own unique model numbers my brain wants them ... I pretty much think I have gone crazy LOL
Not to worry Richard .... we all have gone crazy here, one way or another!
Myself, I have gone crazy in more different directions than most can even conceive!!!
...I just found there is a Empire model number that isn't listed in the Empire book, Model 62 that I saw on Retro Steam Tech YouTube...
It was pointed out to me on YouTube the Model / No. 62 is on
page 49 of the Empire Book. I think that is the 2nd one I overlook in the book, gee.