My trip to darkest depths of Lincolnshire is good! Yesterday bought a working pair of Bialaddin Bowlfires with original guards. I have looked in the Reference Gallery and see Dan D's wonderful example which is believed to be the last version Mk 111. What have I got? Looks very much the same; cranked lower handle support, no alloy vent block. However, these have red Bialaddin, Made in England badges on the bowl, and green control knobs marked Bialaddin. Is there possibly any link to the US "Imber Research" company that marketed them in the US? Thanks - Steve
OK Steve, the cranked handle is always Mark III. Imber Research bowlfires have green labels and knobs as opposed to the red of Bialaddin. However, the green knobs are clearly marked I.R. so I suspect you have two replacement knobs there from lanterns or other bowlfires. Apart from the differences in the colour and marking of the knobs and labels, the two types of bowlfire are otherwise indistinguishable. I think I posted an image of one of my IR bowlfires hereabouts...
Many thanks David, I found a post in the Gallery by Ian Ashton of an IR Bowlfire, as you say identical except for the badging and control knob. My two have green control knobs, but clearly marked Bialaddin. These little differences make our hobby so interesting. Steve.
Nice find Steve. Good little burners they are. Were the Imber products actually made at a different factory or simply rebadged? I ask because my Bowlfire matches Steve's exactly, Bialaddin badge and green Bialaddin knob. A quick search of Ebay turns up another. Looking at Dan's example shows a different shape to the knob in addition to the different color so perhaps his is the very last design.
Hello John, as far as I know, they were all made by Willis & Bates in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, but the products which were marked Imber Research were for export to America and perhaps elsewhere too. This was so that those products were not mistaken for Aladdin USA., products. Jack Imber was the head of Aladdin UK., Jeff.
Hello John, you are welcome. Jack Imber also invented the 1940 barometric bomb detonation fuse, which was produced at the UK., Aladdin's Greenford factory during WW2.. Jeff.
