Posted 8 years ago
antvinfan
(3 items)
Hi all, a friend recently purchased some acreage w/ a house, shed; etc & found 2 of these alike. He gave other one to his father & it does have original hose. He polished it much more than I did on this one, so it shows a lot of the beautiful copper, but I'm really liking this silvered patina look kinda better! What do you guys think...fully polished or leave 'er like she is & maybe apply a sealant? This is mostly copper & brass, right? Lol, don't want to wipe away all the proof that this is likely 100+ yr old copper, right?!?
So, been researching this particular loose stoppable type no: 758 317, manufactured in Boston, then says "Santa Fe" at bottom (almost fully patina'd), above that "Pacific Coast Agents....San Francisco", but both Badger extinguishers were found in the Deep South! I have not seen any others like this with a specific city listed on a plate that's screwed in anywhere on the tank, so I'm assuming this would be more rare to find?? It's just under 24" tall & 7 1/4" diameter. Was Pacific Coast perhaps a wholesaler or dealer that sold them to a location in Santa Fe?
Top of glass bottle is broken & pieces are still running loose inside the bottom, so it was used & should I be handling the cage & bottle wearing cloves or any chemicals have long since evaporated? All I did was wipe off most of caked on dirt. So, is this a commonly seen type or more rare & should I fully polish & seal or leave her be? Thanks for any advice or tips in advance! I was in awe when 1st saw how beautiful & unique these are, plus the wording "To Play, To Stop" & directions for charging are, in my opinion, what mostly makes these amazingly unique to see!
Like it as is and imagine would ruin value if over polished.
Leave as is. With the bottle long broken and emptied, it's safe.
Thank you, Phil & Spirit, that's what I was hoping to hear! Thinking of turning it into a lamp (no holes drilled or anything) & adding a classy look by using a glass or Chrystal type chandelier shade, which would look & match nicely w/ this silvered patina. Does anyone know if by having the Santa Fe plate or any other city listed like that is commonly seen on these? Haven't seen any others, so guess that's my biggest question? Appreciate the replies :)
Another vote for leave it. And on another note I know repurposing is popular now but that would probably soon be dated. Personally I do not like repurposing. If you want a lamp buy a lamp.