Looking For Information on the LePage Toy Boat Co.

**Taylormade** · March-16-11, 01:54 PM

In the 1930s the Steel Materials Company of Detroit manufactured a line of toy boats and outboard motors under the name of LePage motors. i believe the company was owned by Joe Lepage.
Does anyone have any information on this company or know any of the LePage family? I'm researching some items that belonged to my Dad when he lived in Detroit as a boy.
Thanks for any information.
Richard Taylor

**MikeM** · March-16-11, 03:43 PM

1935:

Joseph A. LePage [[wife Elizabeth)
toymaker
residence, 1391 Manistique Ave

Steel Materials Co.
stampings
17260 Gable
Chas Marienthal, pres; Saml Marienthal, V-pres; Paul Marienthal, sec-treas

**Taylormade** · March-17-11, 04:28 PM

Thanks, Mike, it's a start.

**MikeM** · March-17-11, 05:05 PM

I checked a 1940 directory; LePage is listed as a salesman, still on Manistique, and Steel Materials is on Gable with different management. Neither directory's classified pages had LePage or Steel Materials listed in the toy manufacturing section. Same with a 1946 Yellow Pages. A 1947 phone book lists LePage on Manistique but no listing for Steel Materials.

**MikeM** · March-17-11, 05:09 PM

A 1928 directory lists LePage as a "marble architect" living on Three Mile Drive.

**Taylormade** · March-18-11, 07:33 PM

From what I can determine, the LePage Motor Company went out of business in the thirties. I would love to get in touch with someone from his family as I have several questions that only they could answer. The electric boat motors he built are like nothing you've ever seen, just fantastic mechanical marvels. Thanks for all the help.
Richard

**canuck** · March-21-11, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Taylormade

From what I can determine, the LePage Motor Company went out of business in the thirties. I would love to get in touch with someone from his family as I have several questions that only they could answer. The electric boat motors he built are like nothing you've ever seen, just fantastic mechanical marvels. Thanks for all the help.
Richard

Any pictures Taylormade?

**Taylormade** · March-22-11, 10:51 AM

Hope this works.

**MikeM** · March-23-11, 10:28 AM

Wow! That's a lot of detail. What is the diameter of that prop?

Maybe the older Polk directory was a misprint and LePage was a model architect, not a marble architect.

**Jimaz** · March-23-11, 12:23 PM

Oh, wow! That is so cool. But how does it work? I see the crankshaft linkage. Those must be solenoids that just pump the connecting rod fore & aft? There's no rotary motor? Wow! Imagine designing and building such a thing.

How does it force the prop to turn in the correct direction?

**Taylormade** · March-23-11, 04:06 PM

It works like an old doorbell. The coils pull the flapper in. That rotates the crankshaft that is attached to the flapper by the long thin metal piece on top. This kills the current and the flapper releases. You spin the large flywheel on top to get it going and it jusy flaps away. The one in the boat my dad had - won in a contest sposered by Suchcrust bread - had eight coils and was an inboard motor. Several experts have told me it was the only one of its type ever made.

I thought it was still with my electric trains [[the motor) but I couldn't find it. Sadly, I beieive my mother may have tossed it years ago. I need information to build a replica of my dad's motor, and I'm hoping someone from the Lepage family has photos or records of this motor.