1927 Empire B31 Electric Live Steam Engine - Advanced Project

Description: LIVING ESTATE SALE (Details at the end of description) MA/AI For your consideration is an antique Empire B31 Electric Live Steam Engine made in the USA in August 1927.Model B-31, vertical style boiler, built approx. 1921-1931. The 2nd most plentiful of the cast iron Empire toy steam engines based on the 10 year production period and frequency of seeing them on eBay. Solid cast iron base, brass engine components and nickeled brass boiler. Actually just a vertical version of the most popular B-30 horizontal model. Rivals early Jensens for robustness. Heated electrically. (from the Steam Bible) This is not a beginner's project... too many parts are missing.The near centenarian did well on air testing (see video). Isn't it amazing ? The main restoration problem will be to locate or fabricate a heating element. The boiler is in an excellent condition with very few dings and a nice shiny chrome. Parts that are missing (I am trying not to forget any) : - The heating element (eventually, an electric cord), - The smoke stack (that also serves as pressure relief valve), - The pulley that goes at the end of the shaft and secures it, - The whistle handle and dome. The whistle body is present, - The regulator valve wooden handle. This might be exactly what you need : a great boiler with a complete water level or you might want to fully restore this genuine antiquity. Please select the shipping system that suits you best. Condition : This antique Live Steam Engine is an advanced project. It has been air tested (video). Amazing... a few drops of oil, a bit of air and the near centenarian goes running. It is missing quite a few parts and the most challenging to replace will be the heating element. On another hand, the boiler is in quite a beautiful condition with very few scratches and a pretty good chrome. So, if you are up to the challenge, I would rate it a C3 (for parts or restoration). VERY IMPORTANT : I am offering four UPS shipping options. You can check the cost by clicking next to shipping on "See Details" or make your choice at take-out. The default is UPS Ground as Expedited Shipping can be expensive and is not necessarily more reliable. Please keep in mind that I do not control the cost of shipping that is calculated by eBay.Free pick-up is always available (Rock Hill, SC). I will not ship USPS any longer.If you like FedEx, it can be arranged. LESS IMPORTANT : Items are packed and ready for shipping when I make the listing. Combined shipping cannot be done if one item is larger than 8 x 8 x 8 packed. If it is possible, smaller items can be combined upon request prior to the payment. Guarantee : Item is guaranteed to be as described. I am a very honest seller hoping to deal with honest buyers. If I know something is wrong, I will disclose it but I certainly can make an honest mistake and will do my very best to correct it. Warning : Many of these older collectibles are not in compliance with today's safety standards. It is the responsibility of the buyer to determine whether or not they are still suitable for their intended purpose. Adult supervision is indispensable with any steam engine. Packaging :Items are packed carefully and should remain undamaged through a standard level of care during handling. LIVING ESTATE SALE DETAILS :I had my first steam engine when I was 9 years old. That was 65 years ago. I have been collecting them for 25 years and I am now 74. None of my descendants is interested in the collection, so I decided that it was time to liquidate. As of January 2025, I still have over 1,200 engines of all kinds to list. I believe in full disclosure. It takes me about an hour to list one item, between the assessment, the testing, the video, the photos, the description and the very careful packaging. I try to have very reasonable prices. At comparable quality, my prices are probably the lowest on the market.

Price: 99.99 USD

Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina

End Time: 2025-02-12T11:15:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD