Sketch, some great finds there. Remember, even up in AK a 1940's 220 isn't worth that much unless you really need one to fill a collection. I have found 4 with perfect ventilators for $40.00, total. Two of them even had the original globes. Stay loose and keep looking. Lance PS: Doc is jelious because i beat him out of a stove in Nebraska.
Greetings, All, We made it home, safe and sound, from our Alaskan adventure. Looks like we had some hellacious rains and wind while we were gone though. We have branches, pine needles, and huge pine cones EVERYWHERE! And, as many of you may know, we have wildfires flaring up, again! So far, not much damage has been done to structures, and I don't believe there has been any loss of life, either. So, we've been lucky and blessed, so far. Are own area is safe, for now, as the fires are no where near us. Still, one has to wonder, why these fires "just happened to start", almost exactly when we had all of our arson fires a few years ago...... ???!!! Andy, I, too, am sorry that we didn't get the chance to meet up while Sweet Bride and I were up in your home town. Darn the luck! But, if you have a cold, it's probably better if we didn't meet right then. We had several Gals on the retreat that had colds, and we are praying that we didn't pick something up from them! When you have a home business, with only the two of you to run it, you can't "afford" to get sick!! Next time we get up your way, let's try to plan a get together. Oh, and the seller who brought in the wonderful SVEA 106, is named "Carl". I don't remember his booth number. But, it was over on the right side of the store, near the center and the display case was sort of pink in color. If you ask the Gals in the store, they should remember me, and you, and they can direct you to his stuff. Between him, the guy from whom you bought your two stoves, and the booth right next to that one, hey, you've got a stove cornucopia!! My "stove box" should arrive in the next few days, and I'll post a photo of the small collection of stoves that I scored in Anchorage. We are glad to be home again, but already miss Alaska!! Ed and Gerry, I'm very sorry that I didn't get back to you in time for us to try and plan a meeting in Seattle! Our last days up there were filled pretty much to the brim with last minute stuff. It was me, and TWELVE women!!! Gotta love THAT!! Anyway, by the time I remembered that I was supposed to send you our arrival time in Seattle, it was too late to do so. Please forgive my oversight and lack of memory in that regard! Sweet Bride and I did have a fine lunch at the Seattle airport, though. I think that name of the joint was "Anthony's Fish House", or something like that. The food was really very good, especially for food found in an airport! Hopefully, we can meet up when we come up to teach in Bellevue, which will be in February. I'll give you both a shout before we head up that way, and see if we can plan a get together. Lance, now don't be spreading any fibs about me!! I am never "jealous" of my Stove Mates when they find something neat. Instead, I'm proud and happy for them, just as we all should be for each other's neat finds!! And, hey, if you hadn't had that ailing Hipolito in your hands, when I came around the corner in that Nebraskan antique store, we'd have never met, as I would not had said anything to you!!! So, that stove really was responsible for us meeting, you could say!! Also, if you remember, I scored some nice stoves on that trip, too! So, hey, it was a "win-win", all around!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Hey Doc - Can't wait to see those stoves you got. And guess what - the ol' Pack Rat yielded up yet another stove today. This one was in the same stall as the Stesco, and appears to be a Svea 123 copycat. It's marked 'No. 235 PAK COOK'. It's missing it's tank cap and a key, but looks sound and maybe even unused. Original price when I took it to the checkout was $14. I didn't even ask for a better price as the lady behind the counter gave me a discounted price of $5.60. And the same booth also gave up a W. German Benzine Tank. Neat little tin with a blue & white decal marked 'BRENNSTOFFBEHALTER ? MOWE ? WASSER ? U. BENZIN ? TANK ? CAMPING ? BELEUCHTUNG'. Translation anyone? There is also some faint markings on the top that I can't quite make out. Anyway, this little fuel tank was also $14 but marked down to $5.80. Another shop in town has a wonderful pressure lamp I'd love to get my hands on. It appears to be very similar to the Coleman Model PQ chandelier lamp, and according to the shop owner, came from a railroad station. I couldn't get a real good look at it as it was on the very top shelf of the store, near the ceiling. I asked what they wanted for it and got an immediate 'NOT for sale' response. Oh well. Maybe someday it and I will cross paths again.
Morning, Sketch, It's a chilly 38? outside this morning, with a stiff breeze. Tried to light the gas heater in Sweet Bride's studio, but the wind coming through the vent kept blowing out the match! Guess winter is starting to creep into our local mountains. I'll have to light the main furnace soon, and start building some nice warm fires in the fireplace!! Yep, I saw that SVEA copy when I was at The Pack Rat, too, but didn't buy it. I believe it's a Taiwanese copy, and some of those have, in the past, been somewhat unsafe to use. I thought about buying it, anyway, but decided that I have more than enough original 123's and 123R's and don't need to add a copy to my stove collection. I'd be very careful about actually lighting that one, unless you are desperate to do it!! Do you happen to be interested in guns and cartridge reloading? If so, the same booth that yielded many stoves to me and you, also has a fantastic Ohaus reloading scale. It's tucked under a shelf, and selling for around $45, IIRC. I think that's a good buy, but already have one like it, and so didn't buy it. Food for thought... My Alaskan stove box arrived, safely, yesterday, and all 9 stoves that I bought up there are now home and in good condition! I mentioned, in the original post, that one of the stoves was a Meva #1 with silent burner, that was in need of legs. But, just as I thought, I did have some proper legs for that stove, and now they are installed and fit perfectly. Someone once asked, after seeing my box of odd stove parts, "What's the chance that you will EVER use any of this crap"? Well, the proof is in the pudding, I guess!! I will take a photo of the newest members of our household, and post forthwhith. By the way, it IS interesting to me that all of the stoves I found and bought, were secured in Anchorage, except one. I'd have thought that Fairbanks, being more of a "bush" town, would have had more stoves from which to choose. But, that wasn't the case, at all. Oh, well, Fairbanks DID cough up that nice 111T, so I can't complain TOO much!! Keep checking with The Pack Rat, and also the other antique stores in Anchorage. I think that you will reap a nice harvest of stoves by doing that! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Greetings, Stove Mates, Well, I got the chance to snap a few photos of all the stoves that came home with me from Alaska. Here's a group photo of the lot, behind which are a few others from my collection. Here is a photo of just those Alaskan stoves. L to R, rear: SVEA 106; Optimus 111T; Optimus 80; Phoebus 725; Meva 1. L to R front: Primus 96 (missing a few parts, but still a good buy, I feel, just to get the bits); Tay-kit; Coleman Feather 442; Optimus 323. I feel really fortunate to have able to find so many different stoves in so few stores, all on one trip!! When time presents itself, I'll check them out, fettle those that need it, and fire them up. Not going to happen anytime soon, however, as work has raised it's head and will keep me busy for a bit. But, the stoves aren't going anywhere, and will be waiting patiently when I get some time. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
