Posted 12 years ago
dirtbiker85
(1 item)
Can anybody educate me on this extinguisher? There are two things about it that I can't find any research on. First off, the refill cap is on the top and faces that labels. Second off, it has raised letters on the top by the refill cap that say SANTA FE.
SANTA FE is the name for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. This is a Pyrene extinguisher. The top cap un-screws to allow a chemical called Carbon Tetrachloride which was used in hand pump extinguishers. Hopefully it is empty, if not Don't Open The Cap (its bad stuff). Left inside it poses no problem, but the chemical is a carcinogen, so don't mess with it. I have had quite a few of these old extinguishers in my collection, so don't let the contents scare you, just don't mess with it or dispose of the contents properly. They are great display items and with the Railroad marking are very desirable. Nice piece!
I plan on keeping it, but do you have any idea what something like this is worth? Is it worth restoring? If so, then how much would it be worth?
In this case there is really nothing to restore. You could polish the brass if you prefer a shiny finish, but it does not effect the value one way or the other. Be careful if you do polish it not to polish off the black background on the information plate which is easy to do and would hurt the value slightly. This type extinguisher marked from the Santa Fe normally retails for between $60 to $125.