100-Year-Old Riding Reel Mower

100-Year-Old Riding Reel Mower FARM HOME Lawn Mowers 31h 38 Massachusetts lawn mower collector James Ricci recently acquired one of the oldest heaviest and most expensive reel lawn mowers ever made His Milbradt riding mower has a 38-in cut weighs about 1 280 lbs and has a single cylinder 5 hp motor It was built sometime between 1915 and 1922 and sold new for a whopping $600 In 2014 dollars that would be about $14 000 Ricci acquired the mower from the family of the owner who had recently passed away “A friend sent me pictures of this machine that he’d taken at an engine show I made it known that I was definitely interested in owning it I promised the family when I bought it that I’d get it running again and get it back on the old engine show circuit which I’ve done ” Ricci learned that the man who owned the mower for several years had purchased it in rural western Massachusetts The Milbradt Company that made it was also known for manufacturing rolling step ladders the kind found in old-time high ceiling stores Company founder Gustave Milbradt immigrated to the U S in the 1860’s and he started making the rolling ladders in St Paul Minn during the 1880’s Ricci thinks the mower was built in St Louis after the company moved there Ricci says that like most equipment pushing 100 years of age his Milbradt is pretty much worn out “It’s a giant piece of rusted metal with a dilapitated seat The engine is a 5 hp model with a Schebler Model E brass carburetor The engine was built in St Louis by the Lippert Engine Company which became the Missouri Engine Company in 1913 I’ve talked to several collectors and the consensus is that it should be preserved and not restored ” Ricci started repairing a few of the missing and broken parts in the fall of 2013 He wants to bring the engine back to working condition with help from other collectors Ricci says completing the preservation project has no timetable though he thinks it might be close to a year before all areas of concern are dealt with and the massive rider takes its spot in the reel mower museum on his farm Contact: FARM SHOW Followup James Ricci 30 North Farms Road Haydenville Mass 01039 ph 413 268-7863; www reellawnmower com

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