A real amalgam of a mystery combined with a puzzle and a conundrum. There is not a lot that can be said about this stove other than to point out all of the problems and questions that surround it! The tank markings on the very nondescript stove seen above claim it to be a 'Lux' No.1 stove, but made in Austria - More problematic again is that this stove does not really look that much like any known (Swedish) Lux, and certainly not at all like any Lux stove made before that stove business was acquired by Optimus in 1914. Lux did use the mickey mouse ears filler caps, but so did many other manufacturers. The internal NRV pump arrangement, and the font used for the Lux name on the pressure release screw, are only known from a handful of apparently post-1914 'Lux' stoves the date and manufacture of which are themselves the subject of much uncertainty (see the discussions and further links here and here). The spirit cup is certainly of Lux/Optimus pattern. But even as regards the internal NRV pump things are not that simple, as this stove is fitted with a flat slotted NRV: Yet another oddity is found on the burner, cut-outs in the flame ring support shelf with corresponding locating tangs on the bottom of the flame ring itself: These little details may be clues to the manufacturer, as might the fact of the filler tube top not having any sealing grooves, but they are not features that obviously link to Optimus which one might otherwise have suspected might be the prime candidate. On the other hand Optimus is known to have had a relationship of some sort with the Austrian manufacturer Jacob Rosenthal at least in the WW1/early 1920s period. But the nature of this relationship is also fraught with problems and uncertainties, see @Spiritburner 's contribution to this discussion. It can also be noted there are hints in fonts and some other details of possible links with unprovenanced 'Sirius' stoves, another defunct Swedish brand, produced in Central/Eastern Europe in the 1930s and possibly later. There are potential links between these and Optimus and/or Rosenthals too. The legs on this stove, however, are definitely not original and cannot be used as evidence for any investigation of provenance. @ajvuik @Christer Carlsson @abbahco1 @OMC
Tangs on the bottom of flame ring : All Meva roar burner haven's so one.Must be bend,and the flame ring get no more lost. D.
@dusan thank you, an interesting observation, especially since I believe that Meva also used the slotted NRV design too. Could there be some link between this 'Lux' branded Austrian stove and Meva? Pragus (Meva*) certainly marked some of their stoves in the inter-war period as made in Austria as well as, like Rosenthals, seemingly having some dealings with Optimus too (see here). Yet another possibilty to ponder! Ian. *Some useful info on Pragus & Meva from @Spiritburner here.
Cut-outs in flame ring support have Meva not. Link to Meva : I think not ,while in Meva Info : After the war...continued to make paraffin stoves.... It's not right I have not evidence of making paraffin stoves before Meva No.1 in 1950's . Spirit stove yes ,since 1905 ..... and Pragus 333 ,444 ,....777 , after war Meva 444 , 777 . I think ,P-S work Krems/AT are only once for this paraffin stoves . Them is Pragus No.1 rare in my country as many more Schweden and Germany stoves. About link between P-S work Krems and Phoebus know I nothing . Dusan.
Interesting to see this stove back like this. And funny to know that the brand Lux has been used and abused I guess by other firms. I can not provide any more info to it's history, other than that I got it at the local thrift-site.
