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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Silens messor numbers

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Hello all and happy Christmas, 

I've just acquired a 12 inch Silens Messor, can anyone shed some light on the numbers please, I'm sure I've seen posts regarding this but I cannot find them. Cheers in advance. Lee

Clive1997 Sat, 19/12/2020

Hi Lee 

From various research & plotting by club members I think we would say its from around 1905, assume it has the ornate scraper?

Check out the article in Grass Box No. 72 Spring 2010, there is also one in a later Grass Box forget which one at the moment, but in the last few years.

Lee Smallwood Sat, 19/12/2020

Thank you Clive, yes it has the nice scraper name plate, I'll check out the grass box. Cheers. 

hdtrust Sat, 19/12/2020

Hi Lee

There is only one way,and it certainly is not to go on the numbers,as from the Greens ledgers that we hold,there are discrepancies,shall we just say over marketing them,

What I need to see is the scraper plate and how many bolt holes hold the handle arms to the side frame,

a picture would be good

Lee Smallwood Sun, 20/12/2020

The owner acquired this as barn find, he runs his own scrap metal company and told me he scraps around 200 old mowers a year, probably mostly qualcast and ajax but, upsetting for me and many other members of this excellent club to think of these special machines being discarded, I've asked him to let me know everytime he gets one, maybe something special and not excessively priced will turn up, it's now the third scrap metal man that has produced a Pre 1930 mower for me, a tip for other collectors, scrap metal companies are throwing these old beauties away left right and centre, get in touch with local companies and let them do the searching for you, who knows what they'll find. 

hdtrust Sun, 20/12/2020

Hi Lee,

We have had a discussion over your newly found mower tonight.

Firstly looking at the side frames from your photo,they appear not to be a matching pair,from your photo looking closely the left - hand side appears from where the cutting cylinder is to the front roller a bend in the casting,the right - hand appears straight,for the period of time this mower is depicting,the only answer could be that in its life there was a breakage,now the back plate behind the cutting cylinder on yours is cast with the numeral 12 on it,that would depict,an earlier number to what you have,if that was correct then the scraper bar should be a plain stretcher with no writing on .The handles you have are connected with one bolt from either side,that is correct,but the spokes on the rear roller depict a much earlier machine.

This is what I think has happened,what you have is the remnants of a base which could have origins in 1890,but at some point there has been a breakage in the side casting and possibly the handle and back plate,so could have been dropped (which is not unusual) Your handle and scraper is closer to 1900.

On saying all this,its still a good mower to restore,lets face it,without repair it may never have survived

mikehpw1 Mon, 21/12/2020

Morning Lee

Ive just finished this Messor  It was in a similar condition to yours. I made a new box  as the original was shot. I have a template if you need one. I'm not an expert but if I can help along the way I will. 

Lee Smallwood Mon, 21/12/2020

Thank you for your replies, I cannot see a difference in frames so I've taken some extra photos

hdtrust Wed, 23/12/2020

Thank you Lee

Better photos! Yes your frames do match,but I still go along with the rest that I said

Kind regards

Andrew

Lee Smallwood Wed, 23/12/2020

Wouldn't surprise in the slightest if later parts were added to make it work, at 45 years old some of my teeth aren't the ones I was made with, and this mower is considerably older than I am. It's due a full restoration when I get round to doing it justice, inspiring photos previously added so thank you, I'll probably be needing paint codes but I'm sure these will have been discussed on the forum before, for now it's safe and dry, in the long line of machines needing a good going over, still haven't got round to the Anglia which is in bits in the garage. Maybe I'll allocate some time in getting mowers sorted out for a display in May . Happy Christmas everyone, all the best regards to all OLC members.