Help Identify Propeller

[propellerJake]

Hello and Happy Holidays,

I recently came across a large wooden propeller. I need help in identify and finding the value of the prop below. The general condition is good with the exception of a few holes both on the front and rear of the hub. The holes on the front appear to be fore some sort of medal plate that once was attached? Not sure. The holes on the rear of the hub appear to be 1/4-1/2 inch deep, was this for balancing purposes? I could not find any markings or numbers on the prop.

The prop is 96.5 inches. Given the info and drill holes, what’s the value of the prop?

Any help is appreciated thanks!
Jake

[Dbahnson]

Value depends largely on condition and provenance. While I would consider the condition of yours as something in the "fair" category, its provenance is a complete mystery. Most of the time sufficient provenance is obtained by at least knowing the aircraft of even the engine that it was designed to be used on, but there were so many different models of propellers that it's impossible to even begin to do that without model numbers stamped on the propeller, or some other objective documentation.

It's never enough to establish usage based on what it looks like or what someone in the past said it came from - unfortunately, because that would be easy.

It looks as if the drill holes around the hub might have been used for a specific metal hub arrangement, perhaps for some non-aviation use later on, but I suspect that original use was likely for some type of aircraft.

[propellerJake]

Okay thanks for the info. After furnther inspection of the photos I found what appears to be the markings “A2014”, it’s difficult to make out for certain but maybe it’s a clue to it’s history?

[Dbahnson]

I don't think that number alone provides a useful clue. Is there anything else stamped on the hub?

One other option is to go to this page, then carefully measure the dimensions of the hub drillings and see if it matches any of the more common WW1 era engines. It's not 100% reliable that matching the dimensions positively identifies it's engine use, but it's a start.

The propeller certainly has characteristics of WW1 or early 20s design, including its size.