• The engine was bought by our father in the 1970’s. It was claimed to be imported in the very first years of the last century, about 1900 – 1910. The engine was  regarded as an alcohol engine ? 

• It  was equipped with wheels and axels, although these wooden wheels are now all rotten except from the cast iron wheel hubs.  These hubs from the wheels are the only things indicating its origin as the cast in name reads:  L Baumann  AG  Lübs I/M.  Does this give you any leads ?

• It certainly raises several questions  like:  Was L Baumann  the maker of the complete engine or only the wheel supplier?  Are there any town archives for Lübs I/M,  any listings or branch catalogues of the time to tell the engagements of the firm, L Baumann  AG.        

• Referring to the pictures of the magneto for the Baumann engine. Please look to the signing or trade mark illustrated. No other names or identification leads about the magneto builder were found there on. But perhaps somebody will recognize this signing/ trademark or otherwise it will remain a mystery.

 Please  where to ask for such information ?   info@rubens.se

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We received a theory from Mikael Nilsson that the "N" marks the pole on the magneto to be met by an "S" on the other side (which is not). The symbol is uncertain but could it be an instruction of some kind?

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On a similar magneto we found the name "Fischer" next to the marking on the picture to the left. Could "Fischer" be the magneto's manufacturer and is there anyone who can tell us more about Fischer?

The next mystery engine is the portable steam engine known as the Venset-lokomobil.

• This engine was bought in east Norway in the early 1970s. With no name or visible identifications we expected it was a Norwegian product.

• However the boiler records stated it to be registered under the name of  P A Venset, Berlin.  So again we seem to have another German engine without recorded history.

• Many questions could be raised about this.  We will have to be open minded concerning the correct spelling of the name. Is it correctly written after all these years   What other related spellings could be possible? Wenseth, Vennseth, or von set, and what about Berlin? Are there other places named Berlin large enough to household an engineering facility producing engines like this. 

• The engine seems to be of a very early construction,  probably during the 1850-60s. Therefore it cannot be many Berlins in question.  However it has some lines of American built engines. The question therefore occur  if there are there any American  places named  Berlin, so that we might  look for its origin over there?  What do you say, historians over there in USA?  

Please contact info@rubens.se 

We received following reply from Dean Lehrke (Thanks for your help, Dean!):

Hi Tore,

If you look on the enclosed list from the steam engine group that I belong to you will see an entry for Wens for the year 1863 in Germany. They built a traction engine that year that was to have competed in a competition at Hamburg. It was not uncommon for the Prussians to use the word "Cie" for the French-Swiss-German word "Compagnie" especially since Berlin was then a part of the German customs confederation or "Zollverein" which included all German-speaking countries of Europe. This "Zollverein" was mostly controlled by Prussia especially in trade matters. Many Swiss companies still use the word "Compagnie" and the abbreviation "Cie". Germany did not become a country until 1871, then later began using the word "Gesellschaft" for the word "Compagnie". However some companies kept the word "Cie" at part of their name for historical reasons.

I think I have seen another Wens portable engine listed somewhere else, I will try to find you the information.

All the Best,

Dean Lehrke, Kansas USA

We are likely to go with this explanation. Any comments to this theory?

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