9/24/14
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Go to the Wooden Propeller Forum
Why not just ask by email?
Antique wooden propellers are a hobby for me. They are also a huge challenge. There is little or no useful reference material for identification and/or valuation of many of these collectibles, so one of my goals has been to begin to assemble a database of drawing numbers or other identification information that will allow subsequent collectors to help narrow down their searches. The most practical way to do this is to store information in a single location as it's gathered, and to share that information with other experts, collectors, and people simply searching for information about potential acquisitions.
Years ago I set up our Wooden Propeller Forum for that purpose, which I host and maintain at my expense. I have asked that all questions relating to identification and valuation (or any other questions) be posted there rather than sending them to me directly. Here's why:
1. Questions are viewed by a number of people, including experts around the world such as Bob Gardner in England and Pierre-Michel Decombeix in France, among others. I simply don't know the answers to many questions that may very well be answerable by others.
2. Photos can be stored on the forum web site. There is a tutorial on how to upload photos to the forum. Photos that are sent to me are often large files, put me at risk of malware, use disc space, and are eventually deleted and lost anyway. I can't save them all.
3. Valuation questions are answered in public, which preserves a certain degree of objectivity. If you ask person who wants to sell a propeller and a person who wants to buy one what a given propeller is worth, you're often going to get wildly different answers, for obvious reasons. I have no interest in becoming a free appraisal service in a market that is so small that appraisals are difficult in the first place.
4. Data, such as drawing or design numbers are searchable to some extent. Phrases and titles are even more effectively searched, which allows members to search on their own for information and allows for moderators to refer to answers posted in previous threads in some cases.
5. Additional valuable information about manufacturers, design, etc. etc. is also shared in an open, searchable format.
So if you have a question, please go to our Wooden Propeller Forum, register or log in, and post as much information and photos as you can.
Dave Bahnson, Administrator