Unfired 508A - Use it or get it to a collector?

Greetings!

I picked up a 508A stove on FB Marketplace to go camping last weekend. Well ended up not going but when I examined the stove, I realize it was UNFIRED!

I just want a stove to cook stuff at the campsite, but now I realize that someone may really want this as a collector's item.

What do you think? Not looking to make any money but just save a piece of History if someone might want it.

Thanks!

 

@serpensphile ,

How about some pictures. Maybe it will pique someone's interest, but it will probably have to be moved to the Classified section if you really want to sell it.

 

I'm not an unfired type of guy. I've passed my unfired stoves on to those who like such things. Certainly nothing wrong with doing so.

 

It's funny because I am not interested in unfired stoves as well. I want something to has a story.

And I'm not looking to make any money at all on this. Just if someone really could use it for a collection, I didn't want to use it.

I just have no idea if there's such an interest.

 

Get a few more posts under your belt, or buy the subscription, and then post in the classifieds section. Maybe trade your unfired 508 for a fired one, or two.

 

Thanks! Good advice!

 

YOu can also post in the classifieds section of Coleman Collector's Forum. As you've seen from the above posts, some folks get all weak in the knees over an unfired stove or lantern, others shun them.

 

And most are squarely in the middle. I have mostly used stoves, and a handful of unfired ones. In this I am hardly alone!

 

There are a much more limited supply of unfired stoves. The older, more rare, the more valuable. I can see paying for some, But not for others. I have more than several unfired. I have no interest in this model stove.
I believe that you will get a better response on the Coleman Collectors Forum than you will here.

 

@serpensphile

I have more used 508's and 508A's than new/unfired and would be more than willing to swap one for the other. I even have the plastic carrying case.

 

I can't get that fired up about an unfired stove. I mean, how many unfired examples are "necessary", and for what purpose? It's an appliance after all, so it is kind of silly in a way. Let's put one (1) in a museum and call it good, or something. I mean pristine is nice, boxed, all the accessories and instructions, tags, ephemera. But it's curious that it only has value if it isn't used for its intended purpose.

 

If you purchased this 508A to use I would just go ahead and use it. Create your own memories starting out with a new stove.
Back around 15 years ago I purchased a NOS Coleman 502. I had read on the Coleman sites that the 502 was the best they ever made and wanted to see for myself if that was true. So, being a blue flame enthusiast, the little stove was fired up within a half hour of me getting my hands on it. Indeed, they are sweet runners but I think if I sold it today still unfired I wouldn't get more than an extra $25 for the stove.

 

I wanted an Optimus Nova when I came across an unfired in the box early model. When I received it I began to feel guilty, realizing that there are collectors who would appreciate it for what it is. I only wanted a working Nova, so I sold it to a collector here on CCS. Then I bought a new late model Nova. I think it was a win-win.

 

I'll vouch for HunterStovie, solid guy. A trade with him will be risk-free.

 

Sure I'd be glad to swap for another one!

serpensphile at gmail

But Marc, who's gonna vouch for YOU?

 

One reason is because there are collectors amongst us, interested in the aesthetic qualities of functional artifacts. This is a common human attribute, which accounts for much collecting in general amongst people, of all sorts of artifacts. Unused examples will always be of interest to them, because they best show the aesthetic aspect of the appliance.

And there are also many here who are what I would call quasi-collectors perhaps, who have a lot more stoves than we will probably use, and among them a few pristine examples; which, after, is just a 'subset', so to speak, of having a lot of stoves. Indeed, one might as well say that it's silly to accumulate a lot more stoves over the years than one will actually use, whatever one's original intent. But-- it's not.

How many used examples are 'necessary'?

 

I will vouch for both of them.

 

Completely fair question, no doubt.

 

@serpensphile , an email's on the way.

 

I have a Russian 8r clone that is unfired. Well worn, however, it as been rolling around in my stuff for decades. Need to do something about it's unfired condition.