Inspired by some recent discussions which have revolved around the use and relative merits of different stove top ovens I thought that posting a comparative view of these 2 ovens might be of some value. These 2 ovens have 3 things in common: they are of British origin, probably 1940s or '50s, neither have any brand or makers' marks, and neither of them is collapsible. The only one of the 2 to have any marking at all is the smaller one on the right in the photo above, that one has a registered design number, 776814. I have seen one other with this design number, and that one did have an embossed name, but I cannot remember now what the name was As can be seen in the photos above the '776814' oven has a simple pressed steel body, simple wire clip closure, a small heat spreader in the base and one very simple wire shelf/tray support trivet. There is only one exhaust outlet, a small rectangular slit at the top of the rear wall panel. It heats up very easily to c.200-220°C (c.410°F) using only a '00' size burner. The one disadvantage of this very basic design is that it is not particularly structurally stable, the main body twists when the door is opened; making it a 3 handed job to simultaneously hold the oven still, control the door and lift out the tray with your cooking all at the same time The larger oven has no markings at all. It is the same depth, but taller, to allow for a 2nd shelf, and a little wider in order to incorporate the side air ducts (see photos below). Overall the bracing and additional weight resulting from the side ducts, shelf brackets and double skin door panel make this a more stable structure. The side venting heat/air flow arrangement is more sophisticated too; but the door closure and hinge mechanisms are, if anything, even more rudimentary than on the '776814' This oven can more easily accommodate a larger stove/burner, but the additional heating capacity is hardly necessary.
That takes me back to my Mum trying to use such a thing to vary our diet on our annual 2-week camping holiday in Wales, getting on 40 years ago. Maybe Dad got it off someone at work. It was quite exciting, but alas knowing Mum and Dad it would have gone on the Camping Gaz burner at a low setting - don't want to use up the gas - and as a result, the pie stayed resolutely cold. I wonder if it's still in the loft down there - somehow I doubt it. More happily I also remember half-burying a catering oil drum in the ground on a scout camp and lighting a small fire in a pit under it, with a chimney (made more for fun than combustion, I suspect) made from concatenated bean tins with both ends cut out. That one worked and we roasted a chicken in it!
I have a little oven from Great Britain very similar to your little brown one. It has the name "Henley" on the front with the number 769781. It has another rack that sits about 2" lower than the one shown in the pic. The little wire handle on the back is handy for stabilizing it while opening and shutting the door.
@NW Lady many thanks for those photos, 'Henley' was the name I had struggled to remember. That one of yours is obviously the de luxe model, what a difference the addition of the back handle and domed top must make to the rigidity and practicality of the whole structure! Ian
