COLLECTION #150: Antique Valve Prototype

Now that I've reached 150 collections, I'd like to start a new feature here on the Copycat Collector... one I've been thinking about for awhile. When I first started this blog, my idea was that if I had at least three of something, then I considered it a collection. That was sort of based on the original inspiration for the daily collection, and just my wild idea that I had so much stuff certainly I could dig up three or more of any type of thing.  Although I certainly still have a lot of stuff that fits into that 'more than three' criteria, as I've gone through the 'putting things together' and 'photography' steps, I've also noticed that I have quite a few things I'd like to share that are simply loners. Single items (or maybe two) that don't fit into any other category, odd stuff, or orphans, as you will.

I think I have convinced my readers that I am a collector. So, now that I have posted 149 collections, it's time to expand into a weekly feature that I'll call "Orphans".  I'll probably do this every Wednesday for the time being. I'll post a weekly collectible that I think is interesting and newsworthy, but I just have one.

 My first Orphan is this marvelous antique steam engine valve prototype. Isn't it wonderful?  It was given to my husband and I as a wedding present, back in 1978, by one of my oldest and dearest friends. (We've known each other since kindergarten!) And it's obvious she knows me well... I mean, who do you know that would give this type of amazing wedding present? Not me!

Click on the layout for a closer view

It has been lovingly displayed in every home we have lived in, in nearly 34 years of marriage. I even did a layout about it (above), and wrote about it in my other blog a few months ago.

This model is the type of prototype that would be submitted to the US Patent Office for patent issue. In my research, I learned a little bit about Mr. William G. Pike, which you can also read about on my other blog.  I took quite a few shots of some of the interesting parts of the model. It stands about 7" tall, and 7" wide, but the long rod that sticks out of the side makes it about 13" wide.

My favorite thing, other than the beautiful craftsmanship is the handwritten sign that came with the valve. To think that it was written by Mr. William G. Pike back in 1867! That was just three short years after the Civil War ended!  (The tag on the valve is dated December 5, 1867, but the separate tag is dated January 14, 1868,  just about 6 weeks later).

So, I think you can see why this is an 'orphan'. Nope, don't have any other antique steam engine valve prototypes hanging around this house!

A patent drawing by Wm. G Pike for another steam valve 2 years earlier.