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anyone have a sense of what these are worth? Carr's Postive Steam Radiators

nickDC
nickDC Member Posts: 6
edited June 4 in Strictly Steam

I pulled these out of a house in DC because the owner wanted to go with forced air (I know….)

The only literature I have found is from 1874.

I have one cylinder and two smaller room ones.
Cylinder 20 “ diameter 35” tall +/-
Short ones 9" x 34" x 18” +/-

Anyone have a sense of value?

Comments

  • mikedo
    mikedo Member Posts: 230

    i dont think there worth much. there very cool but no more really cares about this stuff. if lived close i would offer 50 dollars for the round one might use it as a coffee table. of course after about 2 weeks of hearing my wife complian i would have to get rid of it. maybe see if theres somewhere you could donate them to a company that would display them

    KC_JonesMad Dog_2SuperTechJakeCKSTEAM DOCTORttekushan_3
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,840

    They are worth what someone is willing to pay. I've seen similar ones going for over $1000.00. I've personally paid $250.00 (and drove 3 hours) to get a corner one of similar design from a different manufacturer.

    They have value if you find the right buyer, which could come down to holding them for a while.

    I just sent pictures to my wife, she is the one that found the corner one a few years ago for my daughters room. Our originals are plain and she isn't a fan, she likes the fancy ones.

    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
    ttekushan_3Vince5
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,376

    Do NOT scrap them!

    If you can't find a buyer, take them to "Vintage House Parts & Radiators":

    https://vintagehousepart.com/

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    SuperTech
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518

    Where is that Frank? If I had cash lying around, I'd pay $2000.00 for all. Gorgeous, very rare and unique. Mad Dog

    ttekushan_3
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518

    Frank..grab em! Mad Dog

  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,319
    edited June 5

    Hey, I want them too….

    I agree with KC_Jones and his numbers to the penny. Just got to find that guy who has $1000 and really loves them and is near enough to buy 'em. Or a poor plumber like us with $250 whose wife has given up on him and his iron junk.

    Mad Dog_2
  • nickDC
    nickDC Member Posts: 6

    Castards in NYC offered to buy them and put them in their steam museum is the reason for my ?

    So at a ,minimum I figured I could score some brownie points and take the mrs up

    Thanks for input - they are so beautiful and like a puppy I want to find a home that will love them….

    Mad Dog_2
  • nickDC
    nickDC Member Posts: 6

    I have purchased from them before for a client but in DC there just are not a lot of steam systems left

  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518

    I've been dreaming of them. I've only seen them in Armories & Public Libraries. You need large vestibule for those round ones..Mad Dog

  • They would look good in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York building.

    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
    Mad Dog_2CLambLarry Weingarten
  • TheUpNorthState88
    TheUpNorthState88 Member Posts: 38

    Yikes! Imagine having wonderful radiant heating throughout with these beauties in your home and ripping them all out for cheap forced air heating!? 🥴 Like people really just let HVAC companies dupe them into getting rid of a superior form of heating. I’m sure they removed one boiler for two furnaces that somehow will “save more energy.” NOT.

    As someone up above said, sadly only a niche of folks understand the beauty and would be willing to buy these. Most just see them as old scrap metal sadly. Could eventually find a buyer, but may have to sit on them for an extended time.

    -Willie

    CLamb
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,315

    How do you know it was cheap forced air and not a well engineered and installed system?

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    Mad Dog_2
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518

    Scorched air??? I grew up with it until I was 12 in How'beach Queens. New home well designed, Aprilaire Humidifier...Then, I lived with HW convectors for the next 20 years in Floral Park. For the last 25 years I live in a Steam-Heated home with radiant in the basement slab and all the tiled floor bathrooms & Mudroom. Nolo Contendre....The Central AC is great, but the Scorched air in the winter is ...ehhhh..Im a believer.Mad Dog

    CLambttekushan_3
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518

    Great idea...that NEEDS to go in the General Society entrance! Mad Dog

  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 2,211

    Would love to put these in my own home. Maybe can arrange for someone to drive them over to general society. Anyone have an in with the GS, to see if they are interested?

  • TheUpNorthState88
    TheUpNorthState88 Member Posts: 38

    You are being too literal here. The point of my statement isn't about how much they paid or what system was installed. It was to say they took out a working radiant system with these beautiful and rare radiators for forced air. It is well known it is cheaper to install forced air than radiant today in North America as it is the default. Even historically, radiant was a more expensive option. But science tells us that radiant heat is better and more in line with nature (the Sun, a burning fire, etc) for heat.

    -Willie

    ChrisJttekushan_3
  • Vince5
    Vince5 Member Posts: 3

    I had the circular radiators in New York's City Hall in the lobby still functioning but converted to hot water. Also, had them in 31 Chambers Street NYC Surrogates Court House.

    Alan (California Radiant) ForbesMad Dog_2
  • mikedo
    mikedo Member Posts: 230

    i wonder if you could hook up a shower steam unit to one and make it work some way

  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 4,214
    edited June 6

    Maybe, but you would have to somehow pipe the condensate to a drain instead of back to the boiler.

    Edit: Seeing as though it's a 1-pipe system, it could drain back to the steam generator, but I think manufacturers would void their warranty as they are not intended to heat radiators. Also, the pipe size coming out of the generator is 3/4" and the water might have problems draining all the way back.

    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • mikedo
    mikedo Member Posts: 230

    are the radaitors 2 pipe

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,315

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,376

    Or, to put it a bit more bluntly- you can't fix stupid!

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Mad Dog_2ttekushan_3
  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,807

    Did you sell them yet? Those are what dreams are made of here. If I had a place with steam heat I would have bought them right away. I hope they go to someone who will cherish them.

    Tim

    Mad Dog_2
  • AdmiralYoda
    AdmiralYoda Member Posts: 683

    Let's put it this way. I'm in MA and if you were giving these away I'd drive down and pick them up!!!

    Mad Dog_2