Is this what I think it is

Hi.
I apologise for posting my first ever post in the wrong section, I’m still trying to find my way around the website, I have also now paid the required subscription.
It seems that today whilst out treasure hunting I have unbeknown to me purchased a stove that appears to be quite a rare item, I’m an avid collector/dealer of anything old and interesting and always buy liquid fired stoves/lamps when I find them at the right price.
Today I bought a stove not knowing anything about it or even what it was, once home my wife and I started researching all the bits and bobs that we found.
It would appear we are now the owners of a very slightly incomplete Optimus 9
Am I correct in saying this is a good find ?

 

A splendid find. Those in good condition have sold in the four figures; some in the substantial four figures.

 

The fuel tanks are prone to stress cracks and if that example isn’t so afflicted, it’s doubly rare.

 

My research also suggests possible problems with stress fractures.
It will be on the workbench over the coming days for the start of a complete strip down and rebuild to ascertain what sort of condition it is in.
I must admit I quite excited

 

Very rare, and excellent, find.

 

Wow, in Las Vegas they would walk you out from the Casino…

 

Im guessing you got it at a price most people would consider theft

 

Must admit I awoke this morning and my first thought was it must of all been a dream, but no, there it was still on the kitchen worktop.
As for how many of our finest British pounds i had to part with to own it is probably best not to say. (Fingers on one hand !!)
Anyway my intentions going forward are obviously lots more research as I know nothing about these apart from what i’ve found out so far searching through this forum, there does seem to be a few different variants, so I need to find out the exact one I have, then a complete strip down and rebuild and do my best to source the few missing parts, if they are unavailable then it will have to fabricate new parts.
My end goal is to boil up some water, sit back and enjoy a nice cup of tea.

 

Still trying to find my way around the forum, so apologies if I’m posting in the wrong section, again, probably a daft question but are the end caps available and the 3 tools as these seem to be the only parts missing from my new purchase

 

Refreshing! Ordinarily the normal course of events is for the newly signed and chuffed member is solely to determine "How much is it worth?"; the old timers on the forum descend like crows upon him and maneuver behind the scenes to buy it, and then the thread expires, and that's the last anybody ever sees of the latest member.

 

Really? Not my behaviour. Old timer! Sheesh!

 

I thought it odd, too. And though I've never bought a stove as a result of something on CCS itself, I wouldn't regard making offers to buy things from people selling them as "maneuvering behind the scenes", much less as descending like crows!

On the other hand, if I stumbled across an Optimus 9 and bought it at a low price, I'd sell it. I don't have any other stove out of 60 or so that I'd even go to the trouble of trying to sell. That would be a definite exception.

 

Well, that’s a way to become the owner of an Optimus 9… I wouldn’t say crows but hawks! Ahaha…

I don’t see anything wrong making a decent offer to a person that presents a just found stove, especially if it is a most wanted one by collectors, that look for it for years without luck…

Surely transforming a few £ in some thousands £ is not a crime Both sides.

At the same time, for a non collector of stoves, using an Optimus 9 to brew a cup of tea is a real luxury… that normal roaring flame could be obtained as well by an iconic and beautiful and cheap Primus 1… if there is the desire to brew a cup old style So my opinion is that some stoves should go to collectors, as well is not suggested to use an original Babe Ruth signed ball to play with the dog

Said this, I can confirm that this new friend really wants to enjoy this stove, being fascinated by its beauty. So respect to him!

PS

In response to his questions: unfortunately parts for Optimus 9 are no longer available.

Nicola

 

Not true in my case.
Not true in my experience here.
If you mean behind the scenes ... how would know about this?

I have acquired many stoves. I have only had a few kind comments that someone would like it.
I did have one member hound me to sell something. Someone else said the same about that person.

So, a rare event.
You are new here, maybe stick around and see how us old timers really act.

 

Yeah, I should have not have cast aspersions on the members of this forum particularly. However, I have seen the exact thing described happen many many times on varying hobby forums. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have bothered mentioning it. It’s a thing.

Collectors can be … cut throat at times!

 

Anyway, I think we're all happy that @Car Boot Treasure Hunter 's stated goal is to fettle it and make tea. A worthy goal, indeed!

Congratulations! We're all green with envy.

....Arch

 

Maybe true elsewhere, but not here.

 

Please may I ask a couple of questions as there is so much more I want to educate myself about regarding the history of Optimus stoves, there’s not much information about the company on the internet.
As for the Optimus 9 just how rare are they ? my research suggest they were only manufactured for a very short time around 1939 !
How many were made and more importantly how many are know to exist now ?
The more I look at my one the more impressive the engineering is especially for 1939, but unfortunately because of a couple of design faults that can lead to the fuel tank fracturing I can assume many probably ended up in the scrap bin.
One more question, does anyone have the name of the person who originally designed the model 9
As some of you may now release I’m here to stay, sorry about that.
Joe

 

@Staffan Rönn ???

 

Not a worry at all and welcome.

‘You may well be correct in respect of many collecting sites but I agree with @snwcmpr that it is uncommon here which is really good. I can state in over ten years on this site and CPL I have been approached only once about an item and in a very reasonable manner.

I would also add that I have constantly been amazed at the unsolicited generosity of many members including at times to me and I have tried to replicate that approach as well.

Regards to all