I saw this story today: https://www.cleveland19.com/2019/10/31/cedar-point-auction-gives-you-chance-own-pieces-history/. Cedar Point is a grand old amusement park in Sandusky Ohio and on November 18th Grays Auctioneers in Cleveland is selling some items from a park museum. I worked at CP between 1988 and 1991 and I often rode the narrow gauge Cedar Point and Lake Erie trains to the back of the park to visit. Lots include a 1904 American LaFrance steam pumper:
A carousel organ:
And some of the most amazing live steam model locomotives you could see. Which is of course, why I spent so much time at the museum! [;)]
These pics don’t do them justice. For example, this is a 5 3/4 inch gauge locomotive:
The dimensions tell a better story:
Locomotive dimensions: h: 15 3/8 x w: 11 1/2 x d: 45 1/4 in.
Tender dimensions: h: 12 1/4 x w: 10 1/2 x d: 28 1/4 in.
Something bigger? How about 9 1/2 inch gauge then:
Engine dimensions: h: 28 3/8 x w: 17 7/8 x d: 74 1/2 in.
Tender dimensions: h: 22 3//4 x w: 15 7/8 x d: 39 5/8
Oh my God, that 1904 American LaFrance steam pumper is gorgeous! Lady Firestorm (a fan of all things firefighting) was salivating over the picture!
'Scuse me while I dry out the keyboard…
OK, back. I wonder if it still works? Lady F’s of the opinion there’s going to be some very agressive bidding over that rig between fire apparatus collectors, fire museums, and even some well-heeled volunteer organizations.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a few fist-fights over the thing. Volunteer fire-fighters can get very glandular over antique rigs!
I see the 400E has a $425 bid on it already. That won’t last.
Not a chance. At least, as long as the aution advertisers have done their jobs properly. If not, somebody may get a steal!
Ok Penny, this one sucked me in. What cool and unusual stuff. The strangest might be the amputation kit (eek!). Loved the old racing “arcade” games.
Yeah, those Civil War surgeon’s kits are always good for a gross-out!
The heck of it is, todays military field surgery kits aren’t all that much different.
I guess whatever works, works.
Yeah, but you can outfit your own apothecary in case you make an oops! [;)]
If I had any money (and enough space) I’d go after one of these glass display cases:
I spent quite a few hours (and WAY too many quarters) at the arcade on the first floor of the 1906 Coliseum building:
Upstairs was the grand old ballroom. A perfectly preserved art deco masterpiece.
Open these days only for VERY special occasions.
By the way, here’s the museum where the trains were housed:
The armoured horse in the center was used on a postage stamp set in 1989.
Check out these architectural models. How cool would it be to have one of these on your layout!? [:D]
The auction was Monday.
The pumper went for $120,000:
The 9 1/2" gauge loco went for $4,000.
The lot with the 400E with Blue Comet and Stephen Girard cars was a steal at $1,100!
Likewise this lot brought only $400:
A surprise, this pump engine model brought $3,600 while only valued between $300 and $500.
Who paid two grand for a reproduction of Captain Picard’s chair? [:S]
Oh well, that’s the auction biz I guess! [;)]
120 “Big Ones” for the La France pumper? Wow. Although, I’m really not too suprised.
$1,100 for the 400E and the cars? You’re right, somebody got a helluva good deal!
Thanks for the update Becky!