This is my number one. Well, it is a Primus 1001, marked U, 1930, with the optional glasprotection cage. Unfired. Came with spares and a spiritcan.
Can't believe it! This is one of my all time favorites! I also have a 1001 from 1930, without the lovely blue top; mine is just metal. Mine certainly is not un-fired, either. I would not light this one for the world! Just too nice to light. What's on your glass? Mine glass is marked, "Primus" and made by Schott. I have never been sure if it's the glass that originally came with the lantern or not, but it's old!
Very nice. I like the blue tops. The top nut looks wrong. Is it a replacement? It also looks like the cage and handle (and even the vapouriser) are painted in some kind of silver colour. I would have expected them to be "leaded", i.e as in tinned, but with lead.
This is a very nice find, but I can't help but agreeing with Christer. The top nut is not like anything I have ever seen on a Primus before. The cage, collar and handle look painted, they were originally tinned. The clips to hold the top are also painted and they were originally nickel plated. The burner has been used as it is quite dark and the air tubes are not bright nickel. All in all though, it is a very nice lamp and well worth getting hold of. You don't see many of this age in this condition.
Yes, after a closer look, it is not unfired, but very well fettled! And yes, the cage looks to repainted, a very nice job indeed.
Ah, yes! That was a clever tell-tale. That very thin nickelplating would probably dissapear, or at least be dis-coloured, very quick after only some minor use. Also, the lid for the pre-heating cans spout is normally red, isn't it?
Might be red on newer cans, thisone has a brass spout. Well, in a way I am glad that it is used, then I am ok with lighting it!
I mean the lid on the lantern. The one which cover the hole where you stick the cans spout through. That little flap on the globe rest is usually red.
Yes, the little access flap in the globe cage base is usually painted red from new. Usually there is not much left of his paint on most lamps, but sometimes there are some remainders of it. I am not sure if the first 1001s had this paint, as it is very rare to find an early 1001 in unused or almost unused condition. I am fairly sure (I will have to check tonight) that they were painted in 1930.
Ashok, as it turned out, it wasn't unlit! But it doesn't matter much. It is still a great lantern, and in good shape. As a reference to what Nils said about the air tubes lacking the new bright nickel, below is an image of what he meant. Those air tubes had a very thin nickel plating (on a bit of a rough surface) originally that went away pretty quickly after some use, and even if this spare burner is of a bit later origin, you all get the gist. I actually wonder why they even did plate the air tubes...
@tretrop Does your burner have gauze on the bottom as per Christer's photo above, or is it slotted? Alec.