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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Need info please on a like new Monarch 21 inch reel mower from the 50s

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I have some question about a mower  I just got from a estate sale. I will put a picture up when it stop raining but this machine is in remarkable shape but it is so old that I'm afraid I'll break something if I mess with it to much. It has a 1.6 hp 6s Briggs and Stratton engine that looks like it runs but is there anything that I should watch for before I get it going. Should I leave it as is? Are there collector's for this variety of mower? This looks like it should be in a museum. Any help is greatly appreciated

wristpin Wed, 16/10/2019

Post the images, then we may know what you are talking about! 

EDIT

just seen where you are! Raining here too!

BleggX Wed, 16/10/2019

I'll post some better pictures when it's not raining outside

wristpin Wed, 16/10/2019

I'll post some better pictures when it's not raining outside

No pics have appeared which possibly means that you've fallen victim to the somewhat convoluted image posting system on this site. You have to follow the instructions exactly - no dragging and dropping here! make sure that you select "insert" and then "save"

EDIT  The Pic has just appeared!  That Briggs looks young enough to have the words Model, Type and Code stamped into the blower housing - the cowling that carries the recoil starter. Below those words will be numbers. The numbers under Code will give the year and day of manufacture which will give us a starting point. Look for the words either on the flat surface adjacent to the spark plug or on the vertical surface next to the fuel tank and carburettor.

wristpin Wed, 16/10/2019

It would seem to predate the Model Type and Code system. My 1919 to 1981 repair manual suggests that the 6S will have a cast iron cylinder block rather than the alloy block used on the later small engines. I suspect that it could be dated by the Serial number but there are no clues in the repair manual.

As far as identifying the machine itself goes I think that you need someone your side of the Pond; it is too young for either of my books about American lawnmowers, neither of which have any information on Monarch of any age or configuration. I believe that a Monarch company was the forerunner of the Allis Chalmers Tractor Company but I suspect a different Monarch !!