Need help to identify my grandfathers propeller

[Joanne Smith-Walker]

My grandfather supposedly brought the propeller home from WW1 to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I have been looking into the history of the prop with no success. The stamping on it is A.J. Edmunds with a serial number 4572, 8 holes, length is 8'3"X500" Right Hand. It is in good condition, been hanging in my parents home for as long as I can remember. Any help would be much appreciated. My grandfather was a pilot for the Royal Flying Corps 1918-1919 and assistant instructor.

[Dave]

The appearance suggests that it was used on the JN4C "Canuck" with an OX5 engine. If the hub is NOT 4 inches thick and the bolt hole circle is NOT 5 1/4" in diameter then that assumption is incorrect, but I have seen a number of similar looking props over the years. (Unfortunately, propellers often look identical to other propellers but are actually for totally different aircraft and engines.)

[Bob Gardner]

Hello Joanne,

Your prop was made by AJ Edmunds in Toronto. This company was related to Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd, formed in late 1916 specifically to make Curtiss JN4 training aircraft for the RFC in Canada.

With kind regards,

Bob

[Joanne Smith-Walker]

Thank you

Thank you so much for your replies. Would it have come over from the UK or stayed here in Canada? Any idea of the worth of the prop, I am not looking to sell it just curious. I have my grandfathers RFC badge to go with the prop.
Regards, Joanne

[Bob Gardner]

'Morning Joanne,

I don't know enough to give you definitive answers. I have never seen a Canadian prop here in England. My assumption is that they were made locally in Canada for the training aircraft, the JN4C referred to by Dave, also made locally in Toronto, used for teaching Canadians to fly before they joined the RFC in Britain.

Your prop is rare. I believe this forum has received only a handful of queries about them. I don't recall seeing one for sale on eBay. It has an elegant shape which increases its value and comes from the dawn of Canadian aviation. It will increase in value over the next four centennial years of WW1.

It is an historical artefact for your family and is best kept for your future generations. You might wish to do some research on Google about AJ Edmunds and the RFC training in Canada. We would be delighted to hear of anything you discover.

With kind regards,

Bob

[Dave]

Bob is absolutely correct about keeping it as an heirloom. You should also record for safekeeping everything you can about how it came into your possession and record as much as possible about your grandfather. Authenticity is a huge driver of value, as is originality, and you are in a good position to preserve both of those.

It's difficult to ascertain physical condition from the limited photographs, so an estimate of its value would be difficult, but similar ones in the past have sold for several thousand US dollars. I'm not sure I would consider the design itself "rare", as I've owned four or five of them and seen many others in various condition. It's also hard to tell if yours has been refinished. I believe that those originally had decals, so if those are present it's less likely to have been refinished. (Keep in mind that some them may have been refinished 80 or 90 years ago, but are still not "original".) A number of them were apparently available as surplus in the early twenties. Here's a photo of one that I still own.

[Bob Gardner]

Dave,

I see that your prop carries Canadian airworthiness stamps and Paragon decals from Maryland USA. I know that Dashwood Lang had some of his props made in Toronto whilst getting USN prop making in the States up to speed and it would seem that Paragon also sub contracted to Toronto. This dates your prop to Autumn 1917. I still don't know if Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd (CAP) sub contracted to AJ Edmonds, or whether AJ Edmonds founded CAP.

Perhaps one of our Canadian forumites can tell us.

With kind regards,

Bob

[Joanne Smith-Walker]

Thanks

Many thanks for your information about my grandfathers propeller. I will keep searching for more info. It is a treasured piece of my grandfathers that will always stay in our family.
Thanks again
Joanne