Vintage Stove Question

[seeshell]

Hi All

Picked up a stove at a swap meet - Parkinson Stove Company. Enamel in beige and black, with black knobs and logo. VGC. Marked as P. 21 L.P. Clearly meant for installation in van or small apartment - LP gas fittings two burners and a toasting tray underneath (like van gas setups).





The Parkinson Stove Company (from the badge) was located in Melbourne (I've been able to find through Trove that the factory was in West Footscray). It was an offshoot of a British company of the same name. The company operated from about 1927 to as fare as I can tell 1983 (though at that point possibly it might just have been a brand holding company).

Anyone else have a stove like this to help me correctly identify the age? I'm guessing early 40s at the latest - when did stoves move from enamel coating to painted steel in Australia? Any help from the history buffs appreciated.

Cheers
Seeshell

[cobber]

G'day seeshell,

Sorry can't help with dating you good looking stove but if you were anything like me you would have to have the book.
It came out in lots of editions and one of them would be bound to have a picture of your stove, so buy them all

Cobber.

[seeshell]

Hi Cobber

I know - that's the creeping sickness isn't it? I'm off to find a few editions to help me out.

Cheers
Seeshell

[Franklin1]

G'day seeshell,

It would seem that some time in the 1960s, the Parkinson brand was taken over by Rinnai (or there was a merger, or something like that).

This advertisement from November 1968 shows the name Parkinson-Rinnai...






My demented memory tells me there were different appearances in how the name "Parkinson" appeared on these stoves. I'll have to look in my files to see if I've got a photo, but I seem to remember the earlier Parkinson models had a border around the word Parkinson, and looked a lot more like the old Flavel or Falks stoves.


If you have a look at this newspaper advertisement from November 1964, the old-style stoves are like the one in the bottom right hand corner. Your stove looks more like the "Shields Goldline 44" model at the top centre...






LPG started to be used in caravans in about 1956, so I'm inclined to think the old Flavel and Faulks stoves are the first generation of caravan stoves, used in the latter 1950s. Your stove seems a bit more "modern" and might be the second generation of stoves used in the early or mid-1960s.

Hope this helps with your research.

cheers,
Al.

[seeshell]

Hi Al

The config of the stove is like the shields goldline, but the top is one continuous piece, rather than having hotplates that removed for cleaning. The whole enameled top including the burners is held down by four screws.

Yes I have seen the logo with an outline as well - that was from 1935 (or during that time in any case per some ads I have seen). Interesting about the Rinnai connection.

I'm going to get a few versions of the parkinson's book per Cobber's recommendation - a girl can't have too many cookbooks!

Thanks for the lead
Seeshell

[ihritch]

Hi Seeshell
I just purchased the same stove and was wondering whether anyone knows whether they can be retro fitted to meet safety standards (auto cut off?). A friend thought it may not be able to be insured if stove doesn't meet standards?

Any thoughts?
Cheers Iain

[seeshell]

Hi Iain

It's a good question! Mines more for decoration - I have an outdoor cooker, so I've not tried to have it hooked up. I plan to put it in the van during times we are at shows or events.

I think it'd talk to the local caravan gas fitter - the last thing you want is a fire in a van, hey? Vintage won't look cute then!

Cheers
Seeshell

[ihritch]

Hi Seeshell
I will chat with a plumber/gas fitter when I get the gas line installed as the van had a kero stove and no gas connections. I do want to use mine with an outdoor BBQ also.
Cheers ihritch

[madmother]

We too were looking at a Parkinson for our van - did it pass for the Aus standards?

[ihritch]

Hi there, yes the plumber fitted the stove and added a cut off switch next to the stove

[siemax]

We have purchased a Franklin with the same stove.
Just waiting for some buffs on here to let me know what my vans age is but the chassis number is 1965-7...so maybe 1967??