Dug this out of a box today

Steve Minnich

Pulled this off of a boiler I replaced about 20 years ago. I believe the boiler predates WWII because of some of the castings on all of the burners. The signs that were cast were accepted socially pre-WWII because it had a different meaning.

Then, a certain psychopath got a hold of it and changed its meaning entirely.

I may have learned that from Dan?

Danny Scully

It was a Burnham I'm assuming?

Steve Minnich

Everything on it said Bryant. I still have the data plate and it said Bryant manufacturing as well.

Danny Scully

Wow, how did I miss that on the gauge? Burnham had a boiler called the Swasteeka, I've seen a few of those.

Steve Minnich

I'll post a picture tomorrow. I kept the valve, 3/8" pipe assembly, and orifice for one of the burners. Two swastikas on that one short piece. I had six of them but it made me uncomfortable having them. On each of the cast iron sections, there was a swastika too.

JUGHNE

OK, I have looked at this 10 different times over the last 2 days and don't see what I had anticipated would be there. Just from reading your text I figured what to look for but don't see it.

So point it out for an old guy with the beginning of cataracts.
I have even undressed and gutted the dog several times looking for this.

Steamhead

Maybe you posted the wrong pic?

Danny Scully

What we're referring to is casted into the boiler sections and isn't pictured.

ChrisJ

Yes, it had a very different meaning to everyone before WWII.

Here's the inside of the Spirit of St Louis's propeller spinner, though I believe it wasn't used as it cracked before he left for France.

I believe it was a symbol of good luck before WWII.

Pumpguy

At one time I was told that symbol is of Native American origin. It was used in mirror image at a Boy Scout camp I attended back in the '50s.

ChrisJ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

The swastika (also known as the hakenkreuz, gammadion cross, cross cramponnée, pellahydren, or tetraskelion) (as a character: 卐 ) is an ancient religious symbol that generally takes the form of an equilateral cross, with its four legs bent at 90 degrees.[1][2] It is considered to be a sacred and auspicious symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism and dates back to before the 2nd century BC.[3] It continues to be commonly used as a religious symbol in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

@Pumpguy looks like it's from India.

Steve Minnich

I'll be at the shop within a couple hours. I'll post the part with the symbol I was referring to then. Sorry for the confusion.

Steamhead

"Witching" a couple hours?

http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com/

rick in Alaska

I see the name Fred Rohr on the propellor. Any relation to Hot Rod do you suppose?
Rick

Steamhead

Stephen Minnich said:

I'll be at the shop within a couple hours. I'll post the part with the symbol I was referring to then. Sorry for the confusion.

Steve Minnich

Here tis. Every main burner had this set up.

SWEI

You could probably sell those on eBay as German collectibles...

Larry Weingarten

Hi: That symbol was used by Crane Company also. You'll see it on their older valves. If I remember correctly, it's listed as a trademark in their catalog from 1925.

Yours, Larry

Steve Minnich

Yeah, I realize they are probably valuable to someone, but I'd hate to be part of a transaction where they could end up in some hate-mongering individual's hands.

Steve Minnich

Here's the boiler data plate. Looks like it may be from '45 which would be a little late to still use it.

BobC

The Hull town hall had a tile floor that had swastika's laid into the pattern when it was installed.

================

Massachusetts Town Votes To Remove Indian Swastikas
Reuters
Published: January 14, 1990

HULL, Mass., Jan. 13, 1990— Officials of this seaside community near Boston have decided to remove a floor whose tiles have American Indian swastikas inlaid in them. The floor was laid in Town Hall 66 years ago, before the Nazis adopted the ancient mystic emblem.

Selectmen voted Wednesday night to carpet over the mosaic floor after protests from the Jewish Defense League. It will eventually be altered to eliminate the swastikas.

For American Indians, the swastika is an emblem of peace and good luck. Nazi Germany saw to it that the crooked cross was associated with virulent anti-Semitism and the deaths of six million Jews.

Hull, a coastal community about eight miles from downtown Boston, is home to about 1,000 Jews, town officials said. The inlaid floor was first criticized six years ago by a local newspaper columnist who is Jewish.

============

Bob

Gordy

Symbolism......

ChrisJ

SWEI said:

You could probably sell those on eBay as German collectibles...

Perhaps, but the symbol is incorrect for the Third Reich. It needs to be spun 90 degrees.

Gordy

ChrisJ said:

SWEI said:

You could probably sell those on eBay as German collectibles...

Perhaps, but the symbol is incorrect for the Third Reich. It needs to be spun 90 degrees.

Actually turned 45 degrees..........90 degrees gives the same resulting image.

Tim McElwain

That symbol was actually used as a mechanical symbol on a lot of pre WW2 equipment and had no connection whatsoever to Nazi Germany at that time.