[SEL] small steam engine

[Germoamer at aol.com]

A friend has located this in an antique shop.  Seems to some kind of  small 
steam engine converted to air. It appears to be something original  and 
mounted on a cast iron base.  Anybody have an idea what it is and what  it 
might have been used for. The friend said the store was asking $1000 which  
seems way to high to me, but again have no idea what its history might be.
 
 
_http://www.oldengine.org/members/schmutz/images/steam1.jpg_ 
(http://www.oldengine.org/members/schmutz/images/steam1.jpg) 
 
_http://www.oldengine.org/members/schmutz/images/steam2.jpg_ 
(http://www.oldengine.org/members/schmutz/images/steam2.jpg) 
 
 
Thanks,
 

Tom  Schmutz
Concord, Va.  
germoamer at aol.com