I got this kettle yesterday. I was so excited, I opened it while the UPS guy stood there. I did good was what he said. I cleaned and polished it before I took pictures. The cleaning was at least an hour. Bar Keepers Friend and a worn 'green meanie' did the trick with a little elbow grease to add to the mix. I then boiled a pot of water, too late at night for tea. It only lacks a tip to the cap. I would buy one if you have one!!!! It rattled when moved, and I thought, cool, I have the tip, but, alas, it is a ball in the spout. I don't know what that does, but it's cool. The ball rolls half way to the end, stopped by the indentations seen in the photos, and then rolls back to the bottom of the spout, held there, too. I will let the pictures tell a better story than I can. Ken in NC
Great kettle, I have the same one. The ball pushes the steam back so it will whistle. From an advert. "The loud whistle in the handle is the result of a small ball inside the spout, which is cleverly designed to push steam into the whistle in the tea kettle's lid."
That is a nice kettle! And they are still in production, so I guess they can send you an original knob for the lid... http://www.simplex-kettles.com/
I have often seen these at car boot sales but have always thought they were fairly modern. However, the patent numbers show that it is quite an old design: 400709 - Issued between 7-15th November 1902 402190 - Issued between 10-18th December 1902 423201 - Issued between 7-15th December 1903 I will pay them much closer attention from now on! Terry
Jan-Willem, Thank you very much. I emailed them. That did not come up in my Google search, hmmm, something about Google????? It is a very 'purdy' kettle. Ken in NC
A very nice kettle. The Simplex kettle was, and still is, a kettle made to a high quality and built to last. The kettle base was very innovative when it first designed and is similar in concept to that seen on the modern fast-boil camping equipment.
Terry, Thank you. Apparently the UPS guy, saying "You did good." meant even more than he knew. So a patent for 1903, I wonder how long that patent number would be on it before they printed a newer patent number on one? Wouldn't that give a date range? Thank you too, Trevor. Ken
A few days ago I received a small package from another member here that contained a bakelite knob for the lid. It is as fine a gift as I've gotten this week, well that and the set of washers for my portable kerosene burners. He said he saw my post and saw this in his fettle box. It was easy to put on, the screw dropped through the whistle hole then through the washer into the top hole. Then with a small screwdriver, I was able to hold it in position enough to invert it all and add the other washer and knob, screwing it on. I works like it was meant to be there. Ken in NC
In my post above I said that: "the patent numbers show that it is quite an old design: 400709 - Issued between 7-15th November 1902 402190 - Issued between 10-18th December 1902 423201 - Issued between 7-15th December 1903" I think I must have had a 'senior moment'. For some reason I searched the patent numbers on the registered design number database . I have now correctly searched the patent number database: 400709 was issued on 2nd Nov 1933 (valve ball in spout). 402190 was issued on 30th Nov 1933 (skirt at base). 423201 was issued on 28th Jan 1935 (whistle in lid). So I was only 30 years out. Er...., sorry about that chaps. Terry
For all those stovies out there who would like to obtain a new Simplex-Kettle, I found good news. The production has been shut down in 2010, but recently (in 2017) re-established. Link the new manufacturer website: https://neweybloomer.co.uk/pages/history I wonder who can and will shell out £229 for a kettle https://neweybloomer.co.uk/collections/the-buckingham Cheers Zoltan
