Sensenich Bros and Gardner Props

[Mom_of_Two]

My aunt was a career pilot with a lifelong love of planes and flying. She currently owns two props that I'd like to identify and possibly find a value range for. Some of the marking were difficult to read so I apologize in advance if they're off. My aunt is around 80 and my husband is over 50 so we didn't have the best couple of pairs of eyes looking...

The markings on one are:
DES.80C
NO4271
A.T.O 538
SB
Sensenich Bros
Lititz, PO

It is 80 inches long.

The markings on the other are:
DES.491
SER.A41056
ATC710
MAX HP 80
MAX RPM 2700
Gardner Propeller Co
Forest Park, Ill.

I don't have notation of the length, but it was a little shorter than the other.

[MWP_Lamar]

I don't have a listing for Sensenich design 80C. Is it perhaps 80CL?

The application for the Gardner design 491 you'll find here: http://www.modernwoodenpropellers.com/gardner.htm.

Gardner props are pretty uncommon so pricing it may be problematic. So far as the Sensenich, I suggest searching eBay's completed items for those that actually sold to get some ideas.

Lamar

[Mom_of_Two]

I've done some extensive searching on eBay over the past several weeks. I've not seen a single Sensenich prop that was 80 inches - for sale or sold. Is it that uncommon and therefore more valuable? Or, do people just not sell them on eBay since something that size and shape isn't exactly easy to ship?

It's really hard to find anything comparable for either prop because I don't even have any idea of when they might have been manufactured or what planes they were for or how common they are.

Thanks for trying to help.

[Dave]

Frankly, as far as value goes they're all pretty much the same. No one is really collecting Sensenich props based on rarity, so that wouldn't really increase the value. It's more dependent on condition. A pristine looking prop with original Lititz style decals tends to attract the highest bids. A "rare" style in rough condition just doesn't fare well in the same market.

Something that size and shape is very easy to ship. See this page for the method I've used, which has been very reliable for even larger props. For one that size you could easily just wrap it in lots of bubble wrap and cellophane and stick a FedEx label on it. Probably about $80 or so. I really don't bother with the bubble wrap method any more since I've got the plywood shell option down to a simple routine which seems even less expensive than the bubble wrapping, and is considerably more protection.