HUNT’S OIL-GAS Co. SYDNEY N.S.W. “PIONEER”

Part A:

This will be in two parts because of the number of images for recording purposes.

I “gathered” this on my recent Southerly travels - it would have to be one of my most exciting “unearthings” yet!







When I asked the gent from whom I purchased it for it’s provenance he replied “It belonged to my father, he was a collector and now that he’s died, we’re clearing out his shed, ready to renovate”.
It came with two other notable stoves.

These images are what really sparked my interest:



The only other references that I have are from @Marko57:

HUNTS Stove - A Very Old Girl



which has a different construction, and a c. 1919 Moore Park – Sydney building application:

https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1435272



I’m not clever enough to search patent’s or business histories, but these references imply a manufacturing date of c. 1917-1919.

I am not currently in a position to fettle this beauty – that will have to wait.

The tank is of cast brass:



and the base is steel:



with a little extra lead:



The pump plunger is quite short:



but a soak in oil may ressusitate it.

The burner inner is SVEA:



There is not “riser” as such because of the doming of the tank:



Part B: coming...

 

Part B:

The cast iron pan ring remains intact:





"PIONEER"



"HUNT'S"



"OIL-GAS Co.



"SYDNEY"???



"NSW"



and a little more tank detail:





It will remain unadulterated in storage until later in the year when I return to Tasmania.

Thanks!

 

Wow! What a great find!

Looking forward to seeing it when you get back into Tasmania!


Tony

 

Cast brass tank that must weigh a ton! Common sense as well has rarity suggests not a financially viable competitor to the Swedish imports though...

What a beauty, and incredible the cast too ring has survived with it. You certainly have talent for seeking out the uncommon and interesting!

 

@Tony Press
Yes, it will definitely be coming to yous when I get back into TAS!
@Blackdog
You are very correct regarding the weight factor!
I wondered whether it may have been produced prior to the example that @Marko57 posted, because the pot support legs on his appear to be soldered, but then it displays the Patent details - I guess we’ll never know though…

 

Fantastic find, the trivet is the icing on the cake, amazing its survived.

Alec.

 

An excellent find!
This tank, although shaped like a pressure lamp tank, looks like an armored bunker dome because of its massiveness.
Thanks for sharing.

 

@Rodger Willows A very very rare and unusual example, the tank being cast brass with a steel bottom and with the extra lead soldered joint, would be interesting to see the weight compared to a similar size stove with standard tank construction.
A fantastic addition for the ref gallery

 

@mr optimus
It certainly is hefty!
When I get back into TAS and have access to scales I shall weigh for comparison.
Chris’s (@Blackdog) comment regarding cost/complexity of production is very valid.
I’m hopeful that the steel base is intact and can maintain pressure…
Electrolytic reactions (multiple metals) etc.
@Rangie, @Knee Thanks for your interest and comments.

 

What an interesting survivor. Nice find.

 

@Rodger Willows

Thanks for posting your find, It's good to see a complete one has turned up.
You sure are one very lucky collector, now I know what is missing from mine.
Cheers Marko

 

Finally something to make the near contemporary Britsh Soutter stove look like a lightweight

What a find

(c/f Soutter, 1918 (collapsible).)

 

@gnome
Thanks!

@Marko57
One never knows quite what might turn up!

@igh371
Your British Soutter is an impressive bit of kit - thanks for pointing it out!
It will be interesting to see what the weight is for comparison…

 

@Rodger Willows

Great find!
I have never seen one before, and a nice intact trivet bonus.
Thanks for sharing.

Scott B

 

Addendum:

Two days ago I was visiting one of my preferred Tasmanian camp sites - Black River in NW TAS...

It was very blustery with intermittent showers and quite cool (sorry no images), so I entertained myself by commencing a fettle of this stove.

It took quite a few hours to gradually remove all of what appeared to be asbestos containing seals.
After removing the pump assembly I was quite disconcerted by the volume of flakey rust that was within the tank.

This got me to wondering whether I would need to use POR-15 to coat the interior of the tank.
I contacted @Tony Press and discussed the possible options...

This morning I again gave the stove more attention and found out a little more...

The silent burner is a SVEA 815:



which has been retrofitted.

As alluded to by @Tony Press the riser has been modified to accommodate the new burner:



There was a piece of brass gauze at the base of the riser:



The pump assembly:





All of the threads (with the exception of the retrofitted riser) are very coarse.

Where the riser enters the top of the tank, it would appear that a series of different metal stamps have been used around the perimeter.
I wonder if it is related to how the fuel pick-up tube is secured - perhaps to splay it out in order to achieve a better fit:



After removing the pump assembly, fuel cap and riser, I inspected the interior of the tank base through the quite sizeable hole.

I decided to undertake multiple dry nut-slurry cleanings of the tank - blowing out the resultant rust-dust with compressed air. At this stage I was still considering the need to apply a sealant.

Further inspection did not reveal and pin-holes of light in the base when exposed to exterior sunlight.

I soaked the pump cup in oil, replaced the NRV pip, cut and inserted a lead washer under the riser and replaced the fuel cap seal.

I struggled to create a suitable seal for the pump assembly to tank interface.
Eventually I resorted to oiled suede leather. Very retro, but effective - especially after some "panel beating" of the pump assembly nut.

It passed the "dunk test", so I decided to fuel and fire it:





There was some "sooting" on the base of the kettle which I'm happy to accept:



Further ultrasonic cleaning of the burner/nipple and flushing of the tank I think would rectify this.

Good to have this old relic up and going!

I'm thinking that it will wend it's way to the collection of @Tony Press for further attention....

Thanks!

 

Absolutely bloody fabulous!

Well done Rodger.


Tony

 

sympathetic restoration of a grand old stove. well done!

 

Kudos for this wonderful work.

 

@Tony Press @Lighthouse @Knee

Thanks!

 

@Rodger Willows

Hello Rodger, congrats on getting your stove fired up.
I just checked the thread on my pump to the tank and mine has a fine thread.
You are correct with my pot rest brackets being soldered to the tank.

Cheers Mark.