antique machine tool collection in Japan?

[rivett608]

For years I have heard a rumor about a large collection of American machine tools that were bought by a Japanese company. This may have been sold in the 70's and the collection came from Los Angles Ca. and may have come from someone named Wolf. It was started sometime around the 20's. I am going to Japan very soon and would love to try to find it....so anyone know where it is? thanks

 

[D. Thomas]

I seem to recall an editorial column in Modern Machine Shop magazine about 6 years ago about just this. I kept the article but can't remember what the heck I did with it....maybe it will come to me in a dream tonight !

 

[peter]

I heard about this, and I will ask around. I would be very interested to see some photos after your trip.

This is a sad story. I was told that collection the most significant private collection of old machine tools in the usa. Now it is almost certain to never return to american soil. That 'Really' ticks me off.

I hope you can find and photograph the collection.

 

[rivett608]

Anybody find anything yet? I leave in less than a week so if you want pictures then.....look harder. Thanks

 

[willjordan]

This is as bad as the dispersal of the Smithsonian Collection that included equipment from the Centennial Exposition and several subsequent exposition. WHen I visited DC several years ago, I looked for it, asked after it, and was told that many of the pieces were returned to their manufacturers. I really loved those exhibits.

grace & peace
will

 

[rivett608]

From my recollection about the Smithsonian's centenial exhibit most of that was not owed by the museum but by private collector and had to back....the show did run much longer than orignally planned so we all got to enjoy it for a while. I lived there at the time and still have some stuff on loan there. It was a great show...

 

[D. Thomas]

A number of the pieces in the Centenial exhibit such as this shaper were on loan from the American Precision Museum in VT. The curator of APM at the time was an ex- Smithsonian person.