There’s another one of these in the Reference Gallery HERE which has a clearly GB&R branded fuel filler cap (mine’s not the original cap), confirming its identity. The logo on the frame is too cryptic to see an obvious G, B, & or R, but I daresay they’re in there somewhere. I’ve listed this under ‘Phoebus’ in the Gallery as I did THIS spirit stove because of the chronological lineage of GB&R - MJR - Phoebus. From research done by @Radler (6 hours in the National Library of Austria!) this places the date of my stove as no later than 1916. I pondered on where inspiration for the intricate design of the fuel tank may have come from and hit upon a possibility - a traditional woven straw beehive, known as a ‘skep’ in the UK, apparently derived from Old Norse ‘skeppa’ (basket). Possibly! I’d some repairs to do, described HERE. One of the feet broken off in transit was perhaps the most challenging repair, but turning the control wheel into something presentable, from this … … to this … was satisfying. Stripping the gloss black it had been painted with and getting a sheen on the bare cast iron with the help of black lead polish reveals casting details obscured by the paint. Fuel flows from tank to burner/priming cup. Next nightfall opportunity, I’ll fire it up. John
Gotta love these old Cast Iron stoves with all their ornaments - Spectacular job you did on the soldering here John. Regarding the Beehive-shape - could that be to prevent stress cracks in the thin brass making the fount - as well as a pleasing sight.
It’s true that gravity stove tanks seem to generate more stress cracks than pressure stove equivalents, in my collecting experience. They’re made of much thinner metal and usually are formed into more extreme profiles. Could be as you say Harder, but given the period and the ornate frame I suspect it was just an intentionally exuberant design to prompt a purchase ahead of competitors’ products. I visualise it as a prized household item to supplement elegant dining habits and not merely a utilitarian appliance. This was a catalogue illustration for a Norma No.51 stove, but you get what I had in mind.
A very elegant stove. That cast iron frame you repaired, along with the brass beehive-shaped tank ( a very apt comparison) testify to the extremely rich creativity of the designers.Perhaps, as Harder wrote, it has to do with the physical aspect. Great presentation! I'm still just waiting for the icing on the cake. Flames..
Much better with the gloss paint gone! Looking smart, well repaired. I'd tend to agree the ribbing is for decoration rather than to reduce the chance of stress cracks- a simple annealing after forming would take care of that.
Before forming primarily too of course, supplemented by during forming if that were done in stages. It should have been undertaken as a manufacturing essential process, but the number of classic stove and lantern tanks afflicted with stress cracks is shocking, suggesting a shortfall somewhere. Thankfully, this GB&R tank is sound as a bell - or beehive.
It’s something I prefer to do outdoors and it rained constantly and heavily last night. Forecast’s clear for tonight though.
Spot on, far from a 'Turnips tonight my children' stove, this is a 'Come over for coffee on my balcony?' creation! Good work getting it back in full working order.
Hi John, I find these ornamental old cast iron spirit stoves very appealing and also kudos to a great repair job. Going through a lot of German paperwork this evening for incandescent wick burners, I found a page from the german company "Aktiegesellschaft C.H. Stobwasser & Co Berlin". There one can see a very similar spirit "Oekonom" stove like yours. A cast iron wheel instead of the fibre on yours so maybe a bit earlier. The page is from 1904. /Conny
Interesting @gieorgijewski Thank you. “Housewife! - The most practical Christmas gift is the spirit stove ‘Oeconom’ [economy]” It speaks of ‘one and two flame’ options but those components in the foreground look like they could be trivet rings for small and larger pots?
1910 HOSPODAR 1924 tank shape! @presscall NAME is solved two names inside CK later CSRS HOSPODAR and for Germany - etc. OECONOM
