Serial number time again

[Phil]

Him Y'all:
A message from Robohips on a new acquisition reminded me that it is once again time to query the gang for old reg serial numbers.

Anybody have - or know of - a green tag USD ( 1952-1953 -smooth horns, not beaded) that is lower than #6,615 or higher than #11,701 ?
Or, a Black tag USD (1950-1951) lower than #3,218 or higher than #3,262 ?

BTW, the black tag that just sold on eBay was a strange one in that the body casting was french, not Canadian. even tho' earlier # numbered blacks were already using Canuck parts. Could be Montreal geting rid of some old parts, I guess - or the body was damaged and repaired in France (not too likely)

Further BTW, Thanks, USA, for your absolutely outstanding participation in the 2010 Winter olympics here in my home berg - (sorry about todays hockey game!) Downtown Vancouver is completely nuts - about like Bourbon Street at the height of Mardi Gras!

[Robohips77]

Phil,
I am sure your neck of the woods was absolutely beautiful. Having played hockey and been involved with the game for over 40 years I watched yesterdays game ( while working on a Voit VR 1) with excitement. USA or Canada it did not matter to me. It was a great game and what a finish. Only thing missing would have been a shoot out!. Congrats my Canadien Friends on a job well done.

[vintagemike6]

hi phil, the olympics were great to watch. congrats to canada for winning all that gold and being great hosts!
i have a green tag #11976.
mike

[kgehring]

I will check mine in 2 weeks... on vacation in Indonesia!

[Robohips77]

Life can be tough but someone has to do it!!
Safe diving. Enjoy.

I will check mine in 2 weeks... on vacation in Indonesia!

[YankDownUnder]

Your request sent me scrambling....

I have a un-dived 'green tag' with blue hoses, # 9599 with 1954 Broxton triples. My Porpoise CA-2 single hose dates to 1953, according to the stamps on the twin tanks, but there is no serial number. That's as far back as I go with open circuit.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Steve.

[vintagemike6]

Hi again, Phil. i have noticed over at VSS in the general discussion forum two gentlemen who have green tag's #6532 and #12101.
mike

[antique diver]

Phil, I can't help with the info you are requesting, but I'm hoping that you can give a date range for a red label Broxton with smooth horns, #5024? The body casting is pretty rough. Thanks for any info you might have!

[Phil]

Thanks, guys - that moved the charts at both ends for the USD green tag DA's - But, no USD early black tags???
'Antique Diver' - your red tag is a 1951 model, according to the serial number - the red tags are surprisingly scarce in collections - if you get an extra, it's a good trading chip!
Regards from the not-so-frozen North!

[antique diver]

Thank you for the info, Phil. I'm really glad to have the red label, and I'll be keeping it to dive with it instead of trading it off.

Also thanks to all our Canadian friends for putting on a fine Winter Olympics!

[usddude]

Now listen here Phil.....record cold and snow down here......more ice, snow and cold i have seen in my lifetime....maybe I should move to canada or alaska where it is warmer than in Tennessee....I'm just saying

usd

[ovalis]

Phil,

As mentioned earlier, I have a green that is 12101, and the earliest greens that I've seen that are below are 6356,6532,6573, & 6604.

Regarding the black tags, I have two at 3058, & 3128. I've seen quite a few above the 3262 number you mentioned: 3287, 3443, 3671, 3704(the recent one that just sold), & 3716.

Regards, Mike

[Phil]

Thanks, Mike!
That info bumps it once again (I live for the moment of an exact cross-over - like a red at 6,483 and a green at 6,484!)
Stuff that kinda puts things awry is the green tag # 6,356 that you report. . .cuz I have a red tag that is #6,483 - and reds came before greens! Go figure - altho' I've seen a couple of early USD's that had tags repainted to indicate an earlier model.

Speaking of early USD's:
Hey, USD! So. . . at last, no more 'Arctic Fronts' driftin' down from those hosers in Canada! Y'got your own 'little arctics' along the eastern seaboard - an' I gotta go to Secaucus, N.J. in a couple of weeks . .Brrrrr

[ovalis]

Those transitions intrigue me as well. I guess it comes with the love of preserving history in detail.

I noticed in your serial number template from your article that the red tag #6483 is noted that it is a "brass tag-red or green?" I guess it can be moved to the green category because the #6356 was definitely green. The regulators in my data base that have no paint are tagged as such.

Now to add another question mark. I was discussing with another individual who has a broxton that is a black tag (not the original version) that has a "professionally printed, not hand done" serial #6545 with no evidence of a stamped number underneath. Also at the corners of the tag where the rivets go, the tag is recessed for the rivets. Any idea what this regulator is?

[eskimo3883]

Hi,

Last posting I saw from Phil had the lowest green label USD SN at 6615 and a prediction of Green Label SN range of 6,000 to 12,000. I Managed to acquire a Green label USD with the lowest SN I have seen for a green label: #6253. It has 80% of original paint and all correct features of a green label. SN# 6253 for a greenie is consistent with Phil's (fantastic) 2004 article:

Red Label: 1951-52; SN 5,000 - 6200
Green Label: 1952-53; SN 6,000 - 12,000