I'm noticing a trend of late that modern stoves like 199, 99, 111 are fetching big money & a rare but still ordinary 111D is currently up to over a $1000. While that's going on lovely stoves like this old Pifco went for £28 & this 45 went for £33 I wouldn't swap either for a 111D unless I had a swapper & wanted to make a buck selling the 111D on. I've seen lots of similar examples recently. I'm almost tempted to bid even though I have examples already Stoves like this commanded much higher prices on ebay a few years back. Have long-standing collectors already filled their collections with what they want? Is it just the rare models, ancient or more recent that folk are after now? Given how popular CCS remains to be I don't percieve a declining interest - quite the opposite. I think it's an excellent time to be building a collection or acquire better examples of existing items in a collection.
Interesting points you raise, Ross, and there's no denying the prices those two gems went for were very reasonable. I'm probably in the category of collector you describe and it's true there aren't many stoves that prompt me to bid these days. I'd be shocked to think that I alone have been responsible for the phenomenon though!!!
thx Ross, There are MANY contributing factors, I like the topic and could REALLY ramble. A point is the great prices still on stoves worthy of any collection, i see that.. hence "what a bargain! post. Another point stove collecting is increasingly popular. In agreeing i'll kinda repeat some of a similar comment I've made: I think the hobby is global and growing and we'll realize years from now that this was a growth spurt of sort. As abbahco, of back then returned to CCS of today he SEES changes and noticed a CCS now far more established with more members, much more content and more RARE examples. Newbie stovies have MUCH more reference / comparables available than ever before. The hobby is VERY different than it was 15 years ago, having developed the online reference and parts links is what really "MAKES this hobby" and overall experience what it is today, imo. An experience that is MUCH more likely to foster interest of more persons who "first google it, to fix a stove" and have it blossom from there. I'm a newbie I feel my collection is wisely chosen (over 90% ebay btw) and will be improved, I can't imagine even attempting this w/o CCS members input, references and link to parts. It would be VERY different WITHOUT all this and conversely it IS new and very different WITH all this support around the hobby and it's FAR more appealing and it is globally attracting more and more newbies imo. One downside... more collectors competing globally for rare stoves average prices are rising some more than others. I think we do see that and is indicative of growth spurt I mention. EbayUS was my source, I paid a premium for some examples but for most the average prices are up SINCE I purchased within 2 years ago. I can not predict the future but i would buy sooner vs later so YES GREAT TIME to be COLLECTING. thx omc
I paid top dollar for two Optimus 199 stoves three years ago, but got what I believe to be an early Optimus 111 for US $160 only a few weeks ago. Bargains are still to be found; as people say, keep eyes and ears open.
Never Paid more than £30 for a 111 and £75 for a 22, they are out there I picked up a Shinarbro 8r copy that had never been used for £30. Lots of bargains to be had at the moment, even some of the second hand MSR stuff is becoming reasonable! Si
I only have a few stoves, I have acquired them rather than collected them - a Coleman 442 Featherlight (copper coloured paintwork, not the later silver) was my standard expedition stove, bought new about 20 years ago (ish).....but I had already an Optimus 111 paraffin stove, but it was more fuss to light than the Coleman, so it got retired and put on a shelf until we went as a group of two families and needed the extra heating source. Next for motorcycling came the little 8R - what a gem, bought second hand, but absolutely mint for £40 - it still gets used. Things progress however and an MSR Dragonfly came up, I think the couple were splitting up, she put it on ebay and I was the only bidder, got the full stove outfit with spares etc and a fuel bottle/pump for £25 - it is my main stove for actual use now, but the 8R also gets a run out every now and then. If you bide your time, they do come up - I have nowhere to store a whole pile of stoves (more junk collecting dust somewhere!) but I enjoy keeping these old timers going - and they still work perfectly well, paraffin is getting more difficult to get hold of though. I run my petrol stoves on crash repair sprayer quick drying panel wipe (it is pure Naptha and is the exact same stuff sold with a Coleman label on it for more than double the price!) Take your fuel bottle to a friendly car sprayer and buy some panel wipe off him - it is worth it. Better still, find a paint supplies place and buy it trade!
Looks like I'll have to wait to pick this up. I won a military 111 for a friend, around $80 USD, was listed as a 111B. Ran fine from the get-go, just needed fuel. I wonder if the stove listed is pursued by a asian buyer, only two buys, but at least positive feedback. I may have to wait to pick up one. Seems after I've found a vintage 8, the price goes way down. Duane
My kind of stove, a beaten-up 123R for £12.50 off ebay, took delivery today That isn't the seller's photo but that viewpoint was all I had to go on and I wasn't inclined to bother asking for more pics, since this definitive analysis of the 123 line-up from Exeter Yak told me exactly what it was https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/svea-123-research-project-prelim.11516/ It's stripped down and the components are in the ultrasonic bath right now. Some fettling to do, including making a couple of pot rests, but the spindle pinion and pricker rack teeth are in good shape, pricker tip's intact and the jet's unworn. Cosmetic work on the battered windshield shouldn't take much to do and though the wick's not scorched I've already removed it for inspection and might as well make up a new one. Regular browsers of CCS's Stove Ref and Stove Literature Galleries give themselves a head start when it comes to informed bidding on ebay.
Here's one no one had any love for. Classic Primus 5 silent burner complete with burner caps and pan ring. Only 10 GBP! Not one bidder.
Ray, your classic Primus No.5. Well designed, utterly reliable. Easily fettled to run like the day it was made many years ago. A much underrated stove.
Gotta curse the mobile signal round here. I missed the notification that I'd been outbid on that one John. Glad to see it's gone to a good home though. I know you'll have it looking a lot neater than I would have done. Please post pics once it's up and running. Regards John
Inspirational: Google some quotes from Warren Buffet on Mr. Market 8) From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Market : "Mr. Market is often identified as having human behavioral manic-depressive characteristics, it: Is emotional, euphoric, moody Is often irrational Offers that transactions are strictly at your option Is there to serve you, not to guide you. Is in the short run a voting machine, in the long run a weighing machine. Will offer you a chance to buy low, and sell high. Is frequently efficient…but not always. This behavior of Mr. Market allows the investor to wait until Mr.Market is in a 'pessimistic mood' and offers low sale price. The investor has the option to buy at that low price. Therefore patience is such an important virtue when dealing with Mr. Market." Cheers, Peter
I have yet to get a Jetboil or its likes by MSR. After getting into stoves over 5 years ago now, to me, time with my stoves is quality time, don't want things done in under 2 minutes. I have a silent nickel 5, I believe my best running kero stove. So pretty too! Duane
