@Allegheny posted:Ok NWL, Now you need to tell us the whole story as you can't just leave us hanging trying to figure it out. I suspect it's an interesting one.
Thanks!
As for the engraving, per an article about Si Chaplin, the engineer at American Flyer who designed their model, American Flyer was working quite closely with CB&Q on their model of the Zephyr and introduced their model right about the time of the real Zephyr making its first run. Therefore, it appears that American Flyer had this piece engraved and presented it to Mr. Ralph Budd, president of the CB&Q.
I wish I could add to the story. I happened to catch my Zephyr model on ebay. From what I can determine, it was in a Chicago area collection until the early 1990s (as the collector put a tag with his name on the item and he passed in the early 1990s), was sold through an auction house out east, and then disappeared until about 5 years ago, when it came up on ebay and I purchased it.
When the museum was planning the exhibit, they reached out to a local collector, who let them know I had this model and the museum specifically wanted my engraved item for the exhibit. The exhibit is heavy into the Zephyr at the entrance, but later delves into all sorts of streamline designed items.
NWL
