Preway #4523 stove- info needed

[High Desert]

Ok gang, I have a little mystery to solve. I got this stove from a freind last weekend. It's complete, including the better part of the original box. After some digging I was able to ID it as a Prentiss-Wabers Preway #4523 over at the spiritburner site. Thats the only reference I can find so far. The bottom of the box shows it was originally sent to The Heyman Co in San Francisco. So far I haven't had any luck in getting a good date range on the stove. Had hoped the box markings might help but so far nothing there either. If anyone has more details on either the stove or the shipped to point it would be great. I'm finding there is far less info out there on non-Coleman stoves, even though Prentiss-Wabers was a serious competetor to Coleman in the earlier years. I guess to the victor goes the spoils (and most of the press lol). Thanks for the help!

[doug hodder]

Shaun....don't know if it will be of any help, but Prentiss Wabers also marketed under the names of Kamp Kook and Handy Chef, I believe....but then I'm really tired tonight...I could be wrong. It might be an idea to check those names as well to find something that appears similar for a rough date on it. Doug

[High Desert]

Shaun....don't know if it will be of any help, but Prentiss Wabers also marketed under the names of Kamp Kook and Handy Chef, I believe....but then I'm really tired tonight...I could be wrong. Doug

Thanks for the tip Doug. That will broaden the search range. I did get some info that points the age at somewhere mid-fourties. I'll do some looking under those brands for their stoves of that era.

[High Desert]

well I have yet to gain any more solid info on this stove. Hopefully when I start deep cleaning it I may find something more. Here's a pic of the stamping on the bottom of the original box. Even though I can't find a reference to the company it's neat knowing where it went to from the factory. Notice there is no zip code in the address. When did the zip code system start?


on the bright side I was able to get a reproduction decal for the retoration.

[doug hodder]

Zip codes started 7/1/63...prior to that the postal code was called a "zone"...My zone was 88...outside Seattle. Doug

[Shadow Catcher]

http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/show ... /last/m/1/ has the instruction Manual for the P4523-A.
We have one that I inherited from my dad and we used it for 30+years.