Here are O.J.Osborne & Co we are often asked to restore the beuatiful little stove manufactured by Smith and Wellstood called the Queene Anne or ‘Queenie’ for short. It has it’s origins in the late 19th cnetury and remained in production up until the 1940s.
They were commonly used in Gypsy caravans but were also used in many other applications like offices, parlours, narrow boats, shownmans vans etc. They originally came in several sizes but the most common today is the no.7.
Many people struggle with the running of the stove as they are unaware how to operate them properly. The techniques of reliable combustion for antique stoves is simple but there is a nack to it.
If you have a Queenie in want to restoration then do get in touch.
We also provide spare parts for them such as the commonly ‘misplaced’ hot plate finial and new grates.
In the 80s it found a second lease of life when an English company decided to take up production again.
I found the time to restore this nice little Queen stove today. These are fondly referred to as Queenies these days and can be found in any small space like parlours or offices. They also find favour with owners of gypsy caravans and are often in bow tops.
This one will be on its way home to its owner next week just in time for winter.
It’s been all stoves this week with four fantastic examples being restored and ready for their new homes. The first is a ‘Caledonian Queen’ which is a great example of Art Deco designs in a stoves whilst the one next to it, a ‘Queenie’ is very much of the previous century. There is also a Tortoise No1 and Dumpy No2, both were used extensivley in Shepherds huts and Living vans.
I often get asked about the Queen Anne Stove or ‘Queenie’ for short. It’s a really beautiful little stove that has a real following not only with the gypsy caravan folk. Smith and Wellstood, the original manufactuerers of the stove produced it from the late 19th century to the 1940s so there are still plenty of examples to unearth and restore.
One of the principle parts that goes missing is the decorative hot plate finial so I decided to have a batch cast. There is no modification required to your stove, the piece simply sits on top of the stove when the hot plates are not in use.
I have also had a batch of grates cast as these are commonly burnt out. It’s a very unsual shaped grate and so can be a pain to fabricate. These new ones are exactly the same dimensions as the old ones and simply slot in place fit for years more service!
All items are cast in the Uk from grey iron as they were all those years ago.
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I tend to leap on anything from the Columbian or Caledonia Stove and Iron works as they’re two of my favourite foundaries. They manufactured some very popular items that still retain a following today along with the Dumpy and Queene stove were the Nipper, Fairy, Stratford and Dover ranges. etween them they had also sorts of uses from shepherds huts, guards huts, living wagons, boats, workshops etc. Below is a nice (albeit extremely neglected) example of the Fairy having just made the long trip down from Wigan.
It will have the vitreous enamel removed and a traditional black lead polish applied.
