Hi ALL!
I found this at the bottom of a heavy box !
It's a solid brass 4-4-0 Locomotive....toy ? Keepsake ?
I does have markings on the bottom that I don't recognise !
a big WESTERN , below left of that looks something like an onion , or a spoon within a spoon ....od something else ! And to the right of that a stylized logo that might say FA4 ? Maybe some frateernal order ?
It is not a bank ! Maybe a give-away in a fund raising ?
I did try looking for the logos...no luck !
ANYONE ??
I'm curious to know if you've tested it with a magnet? The photo showing the bottom looks to me more like cast iron, than it does brass.The only "FAL" I found on a quick search was regarding a rifle, and the letters were not overlapping, as in your photo - I doubt that it has anything to do with your hefty locomotive.
Wayne
I just tested it with a magnet will not stick .
TeddyB,
Looks to Me like it is a Brass Sand Casting. Also looks like a promotional product. Could not find anything on Western.....I believe those are foundry markings. Should You want to pursue it more.......maybe getting in touch with another foundry who might be familiar with it. This link may be a start.......they have been in businesss since 1908........just a long shot!
http://www.lbfoundry.com/brass-sand-casting.html?_vsrefdom=ppcgoogle&ex=q3mwip-eep549-4f4jb2&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=%2Bbrass%20%2Bcastings&utm_campaign=brass&gclid=CjwKCAjw4sLVBRAlEiwASblR-5mWKvv0xOTXiBLUAtDxTKhkJgLL5r6xpGmF38lGUsuG-37MX0M_jxoCkg4QAvD_BwE
It could have been a paper weight.
Good Luck!
Frank
I emailed the foundry with pix. I tried taking shots of only the markings by themselves and looked around to see if any search engines recognise them, no luck.
There has to be a foundry mark database somewhere...I just got to find it ! Maybe a cast iron toy forum, I'll look for that next !
Notice the name and logo in the following link:
http://www.fal.pt/en/company
Ed
Found this: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/sca/modeling_subjects/f/30/t/87028.aspx
There are other FAL Italy brass cars, trucks, and tractors on Ebay, etc., though I haven't been able to find any info about the company.
Good to know about the FAL Italy...I'll start snooping !
If FAL Italy doesn't work out for you, you might try the one I linked to, which is in Portugal.
Looks to me as though there was "something" packaged in the cab area -- perhaps this is the Italian version of those Avon 'collectibles' or the whisky decanter set. Leads me to think (1) there are cars that go with it, and (2) the cars also have some kind of packaged product on or in them.
The 'Western' name and picture of the locomotive are likely clues. And perhaps if we figure out what that symbol that looks like blow-molding represents -- perhaps the company that commissioned it -- we'll get further.
Teddy B.,
I like your tenacity. Good work!
Just a decrative item for a shelf or coffee table, had plenty in the 70's
. The way the top of the F comes all the way across, is the last letter a "t" ?
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
I don't think so, scroll up and check out the link that Millrace has in his post, the logo on the bottom of the cars is the same that is on this loco.
And a search for F.A.L. of Italy brings up much of the same. Everything from brass cars to picture frames, but nothing on this loco.
Mike.
My You Tube