Vintage camping stoves and lanterns - anyone else collect them?

Redboy

a few good watts
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I have a small collection of vintage camping and backpacking stoves that collects dust on a shelf. It's one of those collections where I've never actively looked for the stuff, but over time it has accumulated. I've picked up some at garage sales, found others at a thrift shop, and "inherited" things when people cleaned out their attics. Most recently, someone here noticed them in a picture I'd posted and PM'd me, wondering if I'd be interested in an old stove.

I was very interested, and we worked out a cool trade deal for it. I hadn't even thought about the collection for a while, but talking about it gave me enough incentive to pull some of them out and take some pictures.

Does anyone else here collect these old things? I think I'm just a sucker for the old brass.

Here are some examples from my humble collection:



Optimus 8R

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Svea 123 (my favorite classic stove - I've got several, some older)

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Prentiss Wabers stove (probably the crown jewel of my collection)

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Radius No. 1C

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Coleman No. 530

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Unidentified hot toddy maker :)

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Very nice indeed. I collect just the basics because with the present economy I might be using them soon, and that's no joke. Do they all use the same fuel, "White gas" or similar?
 
Cool,
Do some of them still work?
Yeah, they all still work. They're such simple gadgets and they have so few moving parts that for the most part, there's no end date in sight.

Very nice indeed. I collect just the basics because with the present economy I might be using them soon, and that's no joke. Do they all use the same fuel, "White gas" or similar?
Yes, white gas or kerosene, for the most part. Some of them will also burn unleaded or even diesel, but that would be a last resort.
 
Very cool Nate, nice collection!!

How old are the Optimus and Svea? I loved those designs. I swear I used to see those or similar models when they were new. All my stoves I bought new and they're kinda old. I've had a MSR Firefly for nearly 25+ years and it was replaced by the MSR Whisperlite International, 20 years ago or so. I also have a Coleman Peak 1 multi-fuel stove that's got to be around 15 years old. It looks sorta like the Prentiss just fatter and not so elegant.

I've seen some of the older vintage stoves and those things are little works of functioning art!
 
Both the Optimus and Svea stoves above are newer (relatively - I think they're over 20 years old), with the self-cleaning nozzles. I have a couple older examples of the Svea, too.

I don't know when they started making those models, but I believe they're still in production, largely unchanged. No need to mess with a proven design.

There's a great backpacking how-to book called The Complete Walker by an outdoorsy guy named Colin Fletcher. It's in its fourth edition or something like that. The guy absolutely loves the Svea 123 and writes about it passionately. (Carl, if you haven't read it, you should find a copy - preferably an earlier, original copy - and give it a read. You'd like it.)
 
Oh, and I'm familiar with the Coleman and MSR stoves you're talking about, too. I have a couple of them that I use on trips. The MSR Whisperlite International is my first choice in stoves and I've toted it around the world a bit.
 
I've heard of the book The Complete Walker. I remember it was/is something like the hiker's bible.

The "International" is a great stove and has been my stove of choice. But I got me a Jet Boil Flash last week that runs on isobutane cartridges. I already put it to use and it's already my favorite. Simple, clean, fast and super easy to use with a piezoelectric starter.
 
I used one of the Snowpeak Gigapower butane stoves for a while and really liked it, but it sucked in cold weather... ('course, I mean Minnesota cold! :))
 
I almost bought the tiny Snow Peak stove, but the reviews of isobutane stoves said they didn't do so well above 10,000+ feet and in the cold (freezing and below). The Flash got a slightly better rating and I don't expect to use it in extreme conditions.

I love sitting out on a chilly fall morning in the back country waiting for the coffee!
 
Nate, that last pic of your collection "Unidentified hot toddy maker" is a stove from Switzerland. I believe it is called a Volcano stove,or something like that. I think it is military .
 
Nate, that last pic of your collection "Unidentified hot toddy maker" is a stove from Switzerland. I believe it is called a Volcano stove,or something like that. I think it is military .
Wow that is a great pic man !:thmbsp:

You have a great collection there. Glad the stove found a new home where it will be appreciated.
Nolan, thanks for the stove! It will most definitely be appreciated, and I thank you for reigniting an interest in a mostly forgotten hobby of mine.
Great photo Nate!
Thanks Carl - I need to get myself back to the Boundary Waters soon. Maybe this winter, again.
 
Nolan, thanks for the stove! It will most definitely be appreciated, and I thank you for reigniting an interest in a mostly forgotten hobby of mine.
Thanks Carl - I need to get myself back to the Boundary Waters soon. Maybe this winter, again.

Nate,You are most welcome. Glad it found a good home. Thank you for the great Pre Amp,what a quality build !:yes:
 
I used to have an Optimus & my backpackin' buddy had a Svea.Both are very cool pieces of equiptment.Wish I knew whatever happened to that stove.
 
IMG_20170615_104052.jpg I recently picked up a stove similar to ur Prentiss Wabers stove and I was looking for info on it was looking to sell but there's no label on it I uploaded a picture of mine please anything helps on info
 
View attachment 950266 I recently picked up a stove similar to ur Prentiss Wabers stove and I was looking for info on it was looking to sell but there's no label on it I uploaded a picture of mine please anything helps on info
 
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