Hestia No. 4 Oven

Discussion in 'Stove Forum' started by beechgrove2, Feb 3, 2016.

  1. beechgrove2

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2016
    Messages:
    1
    Hoping someone can shed some light onto the age of the above oven. Its in fantastic condition and was wondering if anyone knew its value. as can be seen in the image, the Primus stove is also in tact.

    image.jpg
     
  2. presscall

    presscall United Kingdom PotY Winner SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    13,868
    Location:
    Lancashire, United Kingdom
    Welcome!

    Hestia ovens by Primus were 1920's/30's era.

    Value ...

    VALUATIONS – SITE POLICY

    The purpose of this site is to act as a resource for collectors & users of vintage camp stoves. As a strict policy we do not give valuations, the best way to assess the value is by offering it for sale by conventional channels or through an online auction site. Forum posts which request valuations will have this policy posted in reply by the forum moderator, and it will then be locked. This policy has had to be adopted because the value of an item is determined not only by age, condition and perceived rarity, but also by how many purchasers may be interested in it at that specific time. Time spent in reviewing the sort of prices which similar items reach in an online auction site, may give you a guide to it’s value. It is then your decision as to whether you sell it, and the method you choose, noting that it is always possible to seek a buyer via the For Sale section of the Trading Post on this site (Subscription Required). Thank you for your co-operation.
     
  3. Spiritburner

    Spiritburner Admin

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2004
    Messages:
    11,667
    Location:
    UK
    The Hestia ovens were sold in the UK by Condrup, the Primus agent. I believe it was due to the import cost of such large heavy items being uneconomical so they sourced a UK equivalent.

    From the name plate on yours I believe it's a later 1950's version.

    1952 Catalogue:
    [​IMG]
     
  4. geeves

    geeves New Zealand Subscriber

    Online
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2009
    Messages:
    6,927
    Location:
    Christchurch NZ
    The value is exactly what you paid for it. The identical one right next to it might be worth twice or half as much give or take the reference value
     
  5. Surreyken

    Offline
    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2018
    Messages:
    1
    Hi
    I have a Hestia No 4 oven, this was purchased in the UK by my Aunt around 1958 and used daily for all her cooking. We took it on holiday and cooked a full roast beef meal and Yorkshire puddings for 4.

    SurreyKen
     
  6. ally

    ally Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2014
    Messages:
    401
    Location:
    Lincoln, UK
    that's ingenious

    :)
     
  7. Kevmeister United Kingdom

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2025
    Messages:
    24
    Location:
    Essex
    IMG_1494.jpeg IMG_1491.jpeg IMG_1493.jpeg IMG_1495.jpeg IMG_1497.jpeg Hi, I have an old Hestia 10 oven, and have just paired it with an old Primus No1 stove that fit perfectly into the “alcove” on the left-hand side.
    They are lovely bits of kit, both the stove and the oven.
    I am hoping to fire mine up soon and try and cook something in it.
    Here are some photos of stove and oven.
     
  8. Kevmeister United Kingdom

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2025
    Messages:
    24
    Location:
    Essex
    Not sure whether to clean up the stove of keep it’s great patina.
     
  9. igh371

    igh371 SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    Messages:
    2,881
    Location:
    Durham
    Superb provenance, very much the way we were in some rural areas then. No gas outside the big towns, and electricity often lacking too. Things changed so dramatically and so quickly, and continue to do so.
     
  10. Rangie

    Rangie SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2012
    Messages:
    2,257
    Location:
    Caithness, Far North of Scotland
    @Kevmeister You'll need a flame ring for the stove to optimise its performance.
    Alec.
     
  11. Kevmeister United Kingdom

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2025
    Messages:
    24
    Location:
    Essex
    Hi Rangie, sorry no response … was out in the field. I forgot to put the range ring on the top of the burner when I took the photos.
    Strange experience regarding the Primus stove purchase.
    I was talking to someone in a shop about the Hestia oven I had, and it needing a Primus stove, when someone behind me mentioned they had one in their garage and the rest is history as they say.
    It came in a very old heavy duty metal biscuit tin box, I reckon circa 1900, which I was pleased with as well.
    I also got the Provence from the family that it been used extensively by them and their forebears, from the early part of the last century!