The ‘Tortoise’ stove had an enormous production life spanning over 100 years from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th.
They were first developed by Charles Portway in 1830 to heat his ironmongery business and over the next 50 years he sold 17,000 of them and they were still selling in the 1940s!
They were the first appliance to be use economy as their marketting statogy coining the term ‘slow but sure’. The stoves were designed to run on coke and many people remember them “glowing red” when in use back in the day.
The top and bottom of the stove was of cast iron construction whilst the body was of rolled sheet iron. Thick firebricks lined it internally to protect it from heat and also provide a large amount of thermal density ideal for radiating heat.
They came in a variety of sizes suitable for heating all sorts of spaces from boats and offices to workshops and stores.
O.J.Osborne & Co can provide spare parts for these stoves as well as a full restoration service including the firebrick lining.
Here we have quite a rarity indeed! The Tortoise Stove was manufactured from around the 1830s up until the 1960s and were made in vast numbers. Not many people know that they also made a range as seen here. This one was in a terrible state when it came to us but its been full a full restoration and is now preserved for future generations.
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.
