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I have an old propeller that I know very little about, here are some photos of the propeller and the only marking I can find on it. Any info would be appreciated. I would like to know how I should be taking care of it, if it is valuable.
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Welcome to the forum.
Your prop was made for the Airco DH4, a bomber which was faster than the German fighters of the time. It came into service at the Western Front in March 1917 and the batch number 297 dates this prop to November or December of 1917. The Rolls Royce engine came in two forms, LH rotation and RH rotation. It was intended for twin-engined aircraft and to counter swing on take off. The blue bands show yours is a left hand example. Red bands indicated right-hand rotation.
Your prop would sell for around £2500 at auction here in Britain, of which about £300 would go to the auctioneer, for his commission. If you wish to sell it I might know someone who would buy it. If you decide to put it into auction, leave it exactly as it is. Don't even dust it. If you decide to keep it, clean it very carefully with luke-warm water with a drop or two of washing up liquid. Don't flood it with water. Clean it gently with a damp rag. Do a small amount at a time. Don't disturb the finish on the linen covering the blades. Make your first attempt on the back of the prop, just in case something goes wrong. When you have cleaned the prop in this manner let it dry for a week. Then polish it with pure bees wax out of a tin, NOT from an aerosol such as sold by B & Q and supermarkets which are not suitable.
With kind regards,
Bob -
Nice prop, and nice to see it in original condition.DaveComment
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Thanks for the information. If you know anymore information that be great like how many were made and where. I'll give you a little information on how I got it. My family are all English and my grandpa who was born in 1900 acquired it some how and brought it home. My dad then brought it to canada when hey moved here. I really wish I knew more about it but my dad past away and now Ill never know. But for the price range you say it could be worth I might just hang onto it and box it up safe and sound. But I'm open to entertain offers.
Thanks againComment
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Well, if it has a family history like that I'd just find a nice place to display it and keep it for as long as you can, preferably to the point of leaving it in your estate. I've collected over 100 propellers over the past 30 years, and I'm delighted to keep the remaining 20 or 30 of them that I didn't sell and just watch them grow in value, leaving instructions in my will for how best to go from there . . .DaveComment
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Javeray86, please check your PMs.
Regards
JohnComment
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I think the early RCAF must have used DH4's. Getting a large four-bladed prop from England to Canada as a private person would not have been easy. If you are not going to sell it in the near future, I should mention that it is widely expected that WW1 artefacts such as this will increase considerably in value during the next four years of the centenary of WWI. This particular drawing number was not widely used, I think. Other drawing numbers predominate.
And as Dave says, if it has been in your family for nearly 100 years, you might wish to keep it and pass it on to your children and grandchildren in turn. The money you could get for it now would be transient. If you keep the prop, it's value will grow and can always be exchanged for cash in the future.
With kind regards,
BobComment
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