1909 S. Sternau & Co, Brooklyn, NY "Sternauware Vapor Lamp"

S. Sternau & CO, New York "Sternauware Vapor Lamp" Patented Apr. 29th 1909. Nickel Plated Brass Font/Burner, with Cast Iron Grate, attached to (3) Formed Steel Legs and Font/Burner Holder. Denatured Alcohol or Koholia Fuel Stove. Wick Type Burner, using Spring Loaded Priming Pump to fill Pre-Heat Cup, for Lighting and Rotating Knob (handle) for Flame Height Adjustment. Partial Direction Label on bottom of Font. Working Condition. Found 1/30/16, in Peterborough, NH, U.S.A.

 

Interesting. Googling Koholia alcohol fuel (mentioned in the label text) I discovered this source, suggesting the company were the originators of Sterno fuel.

John

 

Thanks John. Yes, it is rather interesting. I found the connection to "Sterno" also, while researching the Stove? I'm hesitant to call it a Stove, although it's as close to being a Stove, as any Stove I've ever seen, because from the Label Text heading, the Manufacturer calls it their "Sternauware Vapor Lamp". Can you, or anyone else explain to me what makes this a Lamp, versus a Stove?
I found this link to a rather cool Advertising Envelope for S.Sternau & Co.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1904-BROOKLY...LOR-AD-COVER-DEVIL-ENVELOPE-L-K-/131232676945

 

That's a pretty elaborate alcohol burner with an absolutely beautiful flame. The history is very interesting. I'll have to keep my eyes open for one of these.

Ben

 

@Stovost
You pose a good question, "... what makes this a lamp v. a stove?"

I've no definitive answer but the era of manufacture and the hisorical context come into it I'd say. Back then a stove was more often than not a household appliance and combined cooking and room heating functions. A 'lamp' was something portable, most often a light source, but I've noticed that small, portable, liquid-fuelled devices with an in-built fuel tank were often loosely termed 'lamp' even though they weren't a light source.

I'd be interested to get other's views on this. Certainly the term 'lamp' for a portable stove seems not to have survived beyond the turn of the 20th century.

John

 

@presscall John, just think of all these thousands of "blowLAMPS" sold, up to this very day!

All the best,

Wim

 

The company had one of (if not THE first) patents on solid alcohol fuel, US Patent # 1,266,080, and all these years have made this the bread and butter of their continued success, to the point where all solid alcohol fuel here in the US is referred to as "Sterno", much like Kleenex and Scotch tape, Velcro and Bic pens.

Murph

 

Ben, the flame is absolutely beautiful! Greens and Blues. Reds and Orange! Unsure if it's the Fuel type, or Burner inefficiency that causes it, but it's really something to see! I'll snap a few pics and post them ASAP!

 

Hi Ben! Here's a pic of the Stove from the underside of the Stove Grate. The Grate design really captures the Blue and Green Flames. Hope you enjoy them.

 

A very beautiful and functional stove. Great flame and completely quiet like all wick alcohol stoves I'm sure. Nice to see it brought back to life and earning it's keep.

Ben

 

Certainly not a "Roarer" Burner, and not a "Silent" Burner either, but it does have a slight "hiss", as if pressurized, as it burns. Very little flame adjustment, presently. Is there some "tweaking" that I can do to the Burner, or it's related parts to obtain a little more adjustment?

 

John,
I understand what you're referring to, as far as the unit being a "household appliance" with "combined cooking and room heating functions". The Burner and Font are removable from the three-legged base, which has a built in "nest" for the Font. That versatility, would make it suitable as a "Lamp", for room lighting applications, as well.

On a slightly related topic, as to this particular "Lamp/Stove", I've looked everywhere on the site and have yet to find any reference to S. Sternau & CO. Have I overlooked an area of the site, where I might find more info on it? I'd like to find a "blow-up" diagram, of it's internal workings and such, for future further fettling.

Speaking of the fettling of this stove, remarkably, other than taking the Burner off and giving the extremely clean Font interior a quick once over and blowing out, as well as blowing out the Burner Head, then removing the Flame Height Adjusting Knob, to examine the Valve Tip, followed by a Fuel fill up, I then attempted a "first fire". I followed the Lighting Instructions and Pumped the Pre-Heat Cup Primer and found it functioned perfectly. Imagine that! A 100+ year old Spring Mechanism worked without a hitch! I lit the Cup with a match and after a few moments, voila! The Burner flamed back to life! I did polish the Stove, after I found out it worked so well! And it took a shine, with very little effort, I'll add! I'm simply amazed by the incredible "built to last" design of this over 100+ year old wonder. From an age, when MADE IN AMERICA, really meant something. It's a shame they don't build things like that anymore. With it's outstanding longevity and reliability, as well as durability, I'm very surprised to not see more of this brand stove pictured here at the site. Any idea as to why that might be?

 

@Stovost
What I was meaning about that comment was that a 'stove' of the day would mean a floor-standing home fixture, probably of cast iron, that would be the source for cooking and heating. A 'lamp' on the other hand would be an oil or alcohol fuelled portable device, most often for light - but evidently a term used loosely in the case of your stove.

I think you've got a scoop here on the site with your stove. First one I've seen. Nearest near-contemporaries are a scattering of Alcolite, Manning Bowman, Glocau and Landers, Frary & Clark alcohol stoves, like this one of mine.



John

 

Oh, now I understand what you meant by "stove". Yeah, those old cast iron stoves and these items are like apples and oranges. Both fruits, but completely different.
Am I understanding you correctly? You're saying that this is an "unknown", for lack of a better term, stove? I know I've had no luck at all finding any info on it and can't find any mentions of patents for one either. I'm not very fluent in patent searches, so if someone could please do a search for it, or anything S. Sternau & Co, I'd appreciate it tremendously! WOW! You've got me very excited about this Stove, forgive me, Lamp (haha)! To have an experienced collector as yourself, say that it's the first time they've ever seen an item you've stumbled upon, is very inspiring, to say the very least! We all love the thrill of the hunt and this is the kinda stuff we do it for!!!!!

 

I'm loathe to presume I'm an authority, though I've spent some time here on CCS for sure and yours is the only example of the marque here at least.

A Stateside CCS member might have more information.

 

Back in the late 1800's & early 1900's such portable stoves were often referred to as lamps. One definition of a lamp being 'any of various devices furnishing heat, ultraviolet, or other radiation.'

 

What would you consider the value is on the Sternauware Vapor lamp?

 

Sorry Susy, the CCS policy is not to give valuations.

 

I am sorry Susy - I had completely forgotten that we have a new 'Valuations' forum.
Post your question in there and you might get some sensible answers.

 

Here's the bottom instructions!