Kiss of Death

[roger]

blocks lung tester.jpg (56.57 KiB) Viewed 910 times

This antique Lung Tester was made by Mills circa 1905. They did not last very long due to health reasons.
They are extremely rare and the one pictured could have been mine after a clever restorer got hold of my basket of original parts.
I had paid $25 for this pile of junk, sold it for $300 and Waalah !, it emerged as a $35,000 beauty.

Can a "restored" machine consisting of 20% original parts be considered a restoration??
Where does restored end and the imagination of the restorer take over ?

I have noted that auction houses dodge this question and simply pass it on to the next sucker. As more time passes the machine gains even more credibility. and after a few years it's up, up, and away.

PONZI woild have turned over in his grave..............................ROGER

[JC]

20% away from Ship of Theseus.....

[coppinpr]

why is BP standing behind the machine looking over the top?

[tim575]

The 2 cases that come to my mind regarding multiple entries in the range from 0% repro parts to 100% would have to be the Clawson dice game and the Encore player banjo, machines made from left over found parts after the factory is gone, and where more and more parts were reproduced to restore a machine until entire repro machines could be made. And yes, that Encore in my avatar pic is a c1900 original, verified by SN, design, part types, and ownership history. Although even it has evidence of some swap outs done since 1900.

[badpenny]

why is BP standing behind the machine looking over the top?

It reminds me of the happier days when I stood in the dock.

[roger]

The Ultimate Reproduction.....Asking $ 27,330.99........ROGER

tea 4time ruby.jpg (24.39 KiB) Viewed 762 times

[roger]

Honesty Best Policy.
I was just reminded of another one-of-a-kind "Blow Machine"... It is a Mills "Rubber Necker" circa 1900.

full picture rubber nick.jpeg (7.45 KiB) Viewed 651 times

It looks like BP posed for the top signs of both of the " test your lung" machines.

224315d_sm.jpeg (15.34 KiB) Viewed 651 times

The interesting part of the Rubber Necker is that it was made from scratch by just viewing an old aucton catalogue and the imagination of the artist/mechanic (one talented guy).
There was full disclosure by the owner when it went to auction with an estimate of $75,000-$100,000.

It's nice to know there are some honest auctions. ROGER

[roger]

HATS OFF.jpg (204.49 KiB) Viewed 589 times

Hats off to the owner of the "Rubber Necker"
I have received a a few e-mails regarding the sale priee at auction which was $ 34,000.
I am sure that it would have sold closer to the $100,000 estimate had it not been the full disclosure in the auction catalogue.

ROGER