I need help

[caroline]

I was given this clock from my grandfarther, who's boss made it somtime back in the 1930's. I belive it may be made from a french plane as it has HELICE LEVASSEUR BREVETE S.G.D.G written on the back, there are also some numbers on the side. Would someone please have a look at the pictures and help me to identify this.

The writing down the left side is: SERIE 484 SFA (inside a square) U, NUMERO 3618
The right side: N N? ?? SFA(inside a square) U, 110 RH
On the back is stamped BREVETE S.G.D.G

Thankyou Caroline

[Dave]

Yes, it's French built by Levasseur for a Nieuport XXVII using a LeRhone 110 HP engine. The "SFA" are French inspection stamps.

The entire propeller was originally painted the red color you see under the decal, but has obviously been removed from the hub.

[pmdec]

Hi,

Thanks to Caroline for these excellent pictures.

In French STIAé papers, Levasseur serial 484 are also approved for Nieuport XVII and XXIII (with 110 HP Le Rhone engine). It was a 2.45 meter propeller, with blades 205mm large.

As Caroline is perhaps not very used with propellers I will add some more. Pierre Levasseur was a French propeller constructor from around 1910. He made some aircrafts, too. Your clock as been made with a WW1 propeller.
They cut the blades, just keeping the hub. Then the hub was stripped, and perhaps central hole widened. At the back, they inserted a piece of one blade, taken were the constructor decals were. So, as Dave said, it is the only part where the original varnish can be seen.

I am making researches about French propellers markings. If it is possible, without harming it, to remove the clock and/or the back, you will find more markings on the flat parts of the hub : on one side, you will see two or three more SFA stamps, side by side : can you read the letters just near ? And it have also to be two numbers, one on each side of the SFA stamps group, : can you read them ?

Sorry for my frenchie English, and thanks by advance,
PM

[caroline]

Thanks to you both for the very interesting information, I will have a look at the clock to see if it is posible to find more stamps, once again thank you.
Caroline