I have one of those very first stoves from Primus. Should take some photos of it and upload to the forum. The NRV is leaking and need some small fetteling. Around 1895 maybe?
@esphojo Thank you for posting. Your thread has been relocated to the gallery. CONGRATS on scoring a very rare gem! Only 3 others like it have posted. The top of tank is notable difference right off. Yours with it's original burner also (rounded, no hex fitting). So nice. Can I ask a favor... can you share a top down view, the top of burner but the trivet might also be among the most rare. It is just so nice to see, thank s again. PS If you don't mind saying, folks may wonder, in what country was it found?
Thank you. So re my: "...the trivet might also be among the most rare." It sure is, wow . Too soon for me to say, among the 4 earliest, how it stacks up but impressive for sure. Your stove is of historic significance, "The Primus" was featured on a national commemorative postal stamp. "Museum piece" might be debated but would not be an exaggeration. +1 with Ian relating it to 1892 "The Primus". Yours is a predecessor to his, link. Be careful with your trivet. Yours looks to be the earliest known example (reminder it differs from slightly later Primus the similar Victoria versions). Thanks again. tag @Christer Carlsson but I expect he has seen it.
WOW indeed! What a great find @esphojo Thanks for adding it to the site. Norway being a very early market for Primus. Condrup Ltd
@esphojo now I have the time I hope it will help if I can draw your attention to a couple of key details that seem crucial to pinning down the likely date of manufacture of your amazing stove to the year 1892. The first point is that, according to the official 40th anniversary history (see here), the placing of the name 'Primus' on the tank top began in March 1892. The second is that B.A.Hjorth, whose name appears on your filler cap, became the sole sales agent in May 1892. Now very interestingly, whilst your stove does have a Hjorth marked filler cap, your cast trivet does not carry Hjorth's name - compare that to mine, which could be as little as only a couple of months later than yours, and which does have Hjorth's name on the trivet too. The inference must be that your stove was made so soon after Hjorth took on his role that, whilst the factory had got the new filler caps made, it was still using up existing stocks of trivets. My stove, probably dating to late 1892 or sometime 1893, also has 'PATENT' on the tank top as well as 'PRIMUS', and a crescent shaped provenance mark for B.A.Hjorth on the tank base too. Is there any sign of either of these 2 markings on your stove? Or is it so early after Hjorth's appointment that it didn't have his mark on the base either? Ian
Thanks again. The knowledge is this site is most impressive! And very happy will all kind comments. I can't find any more markings on the tank (nor patent or B.A. Hjort). Still stunned by tha age and that this might be one of the very first ones...
This is a very amazing stove. If there are neither of those other marks this has to be either one of those made between the March and May agreements, with a later filler cap, or, one of the very first made after the beginning of Hjorth's involvement.
@esphojo , Yes, you have a stove to make any owner happy. Re: "... crescent shaped provenance mark for B.A.Hjorth on the tank base too." I understand you checked the bottom, it can be very hard to see but Hjorth not there makes sense. In the gallery we can pick out the earlier ones at a glance by the top of the tank. I don't know about yours being one of the very 1st but it is pre Hjorth and among the earliest that were referred to as "The Primus". Yours is among 4 earliest ones posted, none of the other 3 have Hjorth on the bottom either. If you hadn't reviewed the other 3, here they are A B & C . Note the bottoms differ, an image showing the bottom of yours would be good to see if & when you might get the chance. Thanks again.
Hi @esphojo @igh371 @OMC @Christer Carlsson From book “Primus - Sievert 100 years, 1882-1982". Top of filler cap marked: P W LINDQUIST PATENT No. 1870 ? STOCKHOLM Best Regards, Kerophile.
@OMC pls forgive my late answer. Been a couple of busy weeks. Here are some photos of the bottom. @kerophile I can't fint those markings. Only as shown on the earlier pictures. The cap for the pumptube says F.W. Lindqvists and Patent.
Thanks you so much esphoho. Among the 4 earliest examples, the rim around the bottom is soldered only and not folded over on 2 and yours is folded over yet quite a different look than Christer's rim that is folded over. source Thanks again tag FYI @Christer Carlsson
