[CarltonHendricks]

Jimmy, Good thread..."one of a kind" is an interesting decree to bestow on something....To be able to say something is one of a kind or at least "never seen another", the person saying it would have to have spent considerable time in the hobby...So pretty much everything in this thread would be posted by veteran collectors with considerable windshield time looking for this stuff...Phew! man I feel I've paid my dues...Especially after I just got back from another 700 mile road trip down your way last weekend...to the All American Collectors Show in Glendale CA and the Long Beach Flea. Picked up something that should fit one of a kind status...





Antique exercise rowing machines seem to surface at antique shows somewhat regularly....I've seen quite a few kinds over the years....they're usually interesting...and big....but I never saw one that hit the gotta have it level till last Sunday...The photos don't do it justice, more impressive in person...Weighs a ton, mostly from the arm swivel fittings. Fortunately the arms slide out easily...I managed to carry it out to the gate in two trips from about dead middle the show....



I don't recall ever seeing one made of wood...it's not burl but same color and look as with black painted trim...In untouched condition it looked great but I expect once I get it polished it'll really pop...the handles were another thing that had me....the wound thread grips seem to say 19th century. I'm surprised such a work of art has no maker label....looked all over it, nada. The look and great original condition was what sold me....The guy had $345.00 on it..and I was thinking he'd be anxious to move it it was so heavy....no such luck....he came down to $300.00 and that was it!...I hit him at $200.00...then $250.00 and he wouldn't blink...nice enough guy but wouldn't budge off the $300.00...So after walking around a while I went back and caved. The thing was so impressive, as I sat there mulling it over, passersby were continually stopping to look it over and paw it....it was stopping a lot of people.