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Antique 1890’s Riveted Galvanized Expansion Tank ☆ Boston Mass - $450 (North Brookfield)
condition:
good
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"Wendell • Manufactured Express • For • Smith & Winchester • 19 to 37 Wendell St • Boston Mass"
•Wendell Manufacturing: Operated at 19–37 Wendell Street in Boston's industrial West End (now part of the Bulfinch Triangle area). This address was a hub for metalworking and boiler/pressure vessel fabrication in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Historical city directories and industrial records from the era list Wendell St. as home to numerous small-scale manufacturers specializing in riveted steel goods, including tanks, pipes, and fittings for steam and hot-water systems. The "Express" likely refers to a model name for a quick-assembly or standardized expansion tank design, common in catalogs for efficient distribution.
Smith & Winchester: A well-documented Boston firm (established around 1880) that supplied steam, water, gas, and plumbing equipment, including boilers, pumps, and expansion tanks. Their 1894 illustrated catalog highlights riveted steel pressure vessels like this one, marketed for residential and commercial heating installations. They acted as distributors and specifiers, often commissioning custom or semi-custom items from local fabricators like Wendell for their clients. The catalog includes sections on "Steam-Heating Equipment" with similar riveted tanks featuring sight glasses and brass valves, emphasizing durability for high-pressure hydronic systems.
Wendell St. addresses appear in Boston city directories as manufacturing sites from ~1885 onward, with peak activity in the 1890s–1900s. Smith & Winchester's catalogs date to at least 1894, and their product lines align with this era's standards for ASME-unrated (non-code) pressure vessels.