Sopwith Camel Propeller

[mattandlil]

I bought this 20 years ago at an estate sale. I’m trying to find out if it’s authentic. Any help would be much appreciated.

[Dbahnson]

It's almost certainly a reproduction. First off, it's a left hand thread which would make a Camel go backwards! Secondly, virtually all British manufactured propellers in that aera stamped their props in a characteristic way, which doesn't resemble the location or the arrangement of the stamps on this one. It would be unusual to not include the engine type and horsepower on an authentic prop. You didn't mention the length from tip to tip (diameter) but it just looks too short for a prop used on a Camel. Also, the tips are simply painted, but the manufactured props had fabric wrapped around the tip, and the the fabric was painted.

[Sparrow]

I think that Camel had propeller with 8 bolt holes, not 6 like in your propeller.
Please look at these pictures:

[Dbahnson]

I think that Camel had propeller with 8 bolt holes, not 6 like in your propeller.

That too. Good point. Six bolt hole hubs were not at all common in WW1 aircraft.

[JR44]

It also looks to be made from pine which wouldn't be right.

[Mtskull]

Further to the observations that have already been made, apologies if this sounds unnecessarily disparaging of your propeller but whoever tried to fake this hadn’t done his homework.

Any contemporary Sopwith company literature gives the location as Kingston on Thames, not “on the Thames”.
Did anybody notice that it is mis-spelt “Kigston”?

That said, I don’t think this is a reproduction as such. Judging by the marks around the bolt holes it appears to have been attached to something; I suspect that this is an Airboat, ultralight or target drone propeller which somebody has tried to disguise as something more valuable.

The markings “LX11-34” appear to be older than the fake Sopwith markings, so maybe they are genuine and provide a clue? I seem to remember seeing a propeller with similar markings on this forum recently.

*Edit* Found it: the letters “LX” appeared in the numbering of a propeller which was thought by DB to be from an airboat.

My theory: Somebody in the past has rounded off the tips of an airboat propeller, stamped it with fake markings and tried to pass it off as a Sopwith Camel propeller.

[JR44]

Yes I noticed the dodgy Kigston on the Thames, a very odd mistake.

[C. E. Johns]

So. I own a propeller from a Sopwith camil that my grandfather crashed during ww1. Him and the prop survived. He was a squad leader with 11 confirmed victories and his entire squad signed this prop. Royal Canadian air corps. Among the signatures is non other than Sir. William Stevenson. My grandfather’s name is Emile John Lussier. Does anyone know what this might be appraised at?

[Dbahnson]

I'm sure there is a wide range of OPINIONS which are hard to back up with comparable examples of actual sales of similar items. I wouldn't trust anyone's opinion unless it was a certified appraisal service, and I wouldn't necessarily even trust that. You'd probably do pretty well just calling an auctioneer and send him/her accurate photos and any supporting documentation.

What it might actually sell for is anyone's guess. Posting a few photos might give us a little better idea.