smith & wellstood DRAGON...

[bugarit]

hello, i'm new here, been looking for a forum on stoves & the like for ages,
found one that was unreal & full of p*rn links & all real members had deserted!?!

Anyway, for free i have aqcuired a very rusty Dragon stove & am wondering if it's going to be worth
restoring,. tried to open it & pulled the door off! so the hinge pins on both doors need doing,
the mica needs replacing & 2 of the legs are missing :-( & as i said it's very very rusty! ( not as bad
as my ole Vw though so i'm hoping it's all going to be ok...)

has anyone got one of these that they can show me a picture? i'd love to see how it should look,
& i'd also like to know roughly how old it may be & a rough value should i ever get it to its' former
glory,
if it wasn't so ornate it'd be off to the scrap but i think i love it!

thanks for reading

x

 

[begreen]

Greetings, can you post a picture of the stove? Sometimes it's easier to do a visual ID. You might also want to check into some of the antique stove forums. It sounds like this was the predecessor to Esse.

Here's a little background info on the company:

"The firm of Smith & Wellstood was established in Glasgow in 1858 to sell American-style free-standing stoves in Britain. Outlets were subsequently opened in Liverpool, Dublin and London. The firm was the driving force in persuading the British public to invest in efficient, slow-burning stoves in place of open fires. These stoves used less fuel and produced more heat than the type being used in Britain in the 1850s. The founders were James Smith and Stephen Wellstood, both Edinburgh-born entrepreneurs who had begun their business careers in the United States. Smith decided it would be more economic to produce the stoves in Scotland than to import them from the United States. In 1855 James Smith had contracted the services of George Ure, an ironfounder of some repute and a partner of Crosthwaite, Ure & Co. of Camelon. Ure opened his own foundry - the Columbian Stove Works - in Bonnybridge in 1860 to make the castings for the stoves. The finished products were transported down the Forth-Clyde canal to Smith's warehouses in Glasgow. Smith & Wellstood opened their foundry in 1873 and in 1890 amalgamated with George Ure & Co. In addition to stoves, baths, ranges, gates, railings, pots, pans, piano frames and umbrella stands were manufactured. At the turn of the century Smith & Wellstood introduced the first closed anthracite-burning stoves onto the UK market. These were modelled on a French design and became known as the Esse range of stoves."

Is this what your stove looks like?

 

[mellow]

Does it look like (broken link removed to http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=253775) one?

See if this (broken link removed to http://www.esse.com/stoves/history/1890.html) will help you.

 

[bugarit]

Greetings, can you post a picture of the stove? Sometimes it's easier to do a visual ID. You might also want to check into some of the antique stove forums. It sounds like this was the predecessor to Esse.

Here's a little background info on the company:

"The firm of Smith & Wellstood was established in Glasgow in 1858 to sell American-style free-standing stoves in Britain. Outlets were subsequently opened in Liverpool, Dublin and London. The firm was the driving force in persuading the British public to invest in efficient, slow-burning stoves in place of open fires. These stoves used less fuel and produced more heat than the type being used in Britain in the 1850s. The founders were James Smith and Stephen Wellstood, both Edinburgh-born entrepreneurs who had begun their business careers in the United States. Smith decided it would be more economic to produce the stoves in Scotland than to import them from the United States. In 1855 James Smith had contracted the services of George Ure, an ironfounder of some repute and a partner of Crosthwaite, Ure & Co. of Camelon. Ure opened his own foundry - the Columbian Stove Works - in Bonnybridge in 1860 to make the castings for the stoves. The finished products were transported down the Forth-Clyde canal to Smith's warehouses in Glasgow. Smith & Wellstood opened their foundry in 1873 and in 1890 amalgamated with George Ure & Co. In addition to stoves, baths, ranges, gates, railings, pots, pans, piano frames and umbrella stands were manufactured. At the turn of the century Smith & Wellstood introduced the first closed anthracite-burning stoves onto the UK market. These were modelled on a French design and became known as the Esse range of stoves."

Is this what your stove looks like?

hello, thanks for that, i found that pic in a search too..
it's the same up to the top where it's not so 'fancy' but it
has a kind of crown that lifts up to reveal the hot plate
much like the 'esse'?

i shall see if i can find an antique stove forum..

x

 

[bugarit]

& thankyou too mellow..

i should have mentioned that i've been googling all day & came across the esse site too,
the lady that gave me the stove told me it was french, i was surprised to find it was made
in Scotland

 

[bugarit]

here she is in all her Gory, now even less attractive with a missing door :-(

sorry,. it 'is' a mobile picture.

 

[Fake coal burner]

I have a picture of a dragon stove by ESSE. I am not shore if this is what you are looking for. Looks some thing like yours.

 

[bugarit]

thanks, is that like an ash tray or just decoration underneath?

don't think mine's got that..

please excuse my ignorance, this is my first stove,.
i'm not even sure if it's wood or multi fuel!..

 

[Fake coal burner]

I am not sure what that thing is on the bottom> My ESSE dealer sent me this picture for a stove color. I bought a discounted gas coal affect vista stove from them new this year USA. I will see what I can find out for you. You can pm me after I get this site set up. I am new to. Look real hard and see If You can find the word ESSE on the front. Mine is black porcelain really hard to see. If you can. Then I will know who too get a hold off for you.

 

[Fake coal burner]

I am not sure what that thing is on the bottom> My ESSE dealer sent me this picture for a stove color. I bought a discounted gas coal affect vista stove from them new this year USA. I will see what I can find out for you. You can pm me after I get this site set up. I am new to. Look real hard and see If You can find the word ESSE on the front. Mine is black porcelain really hard to see. If you can. Then I will know who too get a hold off for you.

They use to make the ESSE dragon in gas coal. gas logs, and multi fuel I got that from link they are made in the U.K. The picture I sent is the gas model I found this one for you. If you will PM me I have the people who to get a hold of for information and may be parts. Is this more like yours. I also enlarged your picture and found ESSE word on the front of your stove blow doors.

 

[bugarit]

started with the wire brush today & it's not 'as' bad as i thought it'd be under all
the leaves & sludge..
can't see the word 'esse' anywhere though?..

i'd love to get a rough date on this,. there are serial numbers on each side & part..

 

[begreen]

It could be pre-Esse. That would place it in the ~1875-1900 range. I'm not sure if they added Ure's name to the foundry plate, but if they did that would make it pre-1890. Good to see a nice stove emerging from the rust.

 

[bugarit]

Thankyou, so she's around 100 years old?? :-D

such a shame to be left to rot!

k8
x

 

[karri0n]

She sure is pretty, but you have one hum-dinger of a restore job ahead of you. I hope you get her back to her former glory. Keep at it, and you just may make a few folks proud.


edit: beautiful stove!

 

[bugarit]

thankyou for your encouragement, i'm still not entirely sure how solid/thick the bottom is
as i haven't managed to get all the soggy ash & mud ect out,. i'm waiting for it to dry
before i can get the dust pan & brush in there, i don't think there're any holes so she should
be fixable

i can ad the odd photo as she comes along if anyone's interested..


i am wondering though, what's missing?
i know naff all about wood burners & like i say i don't
know the difference between a multi fuel & a wood burner,. internaly i mean..
with mine there's the front part(?) the criss cross bit that sits just behind the doors..
then there's a base with tiny legs on it that has grooves but not holes like a grate running along it,
there's a hot plate, & then there's quite a big long flat bit that i don't know where it goes..
(maybe if i picture the parts someone can help me?)
i'm missing a fire basket or 'something' though surely??

thanks again

K8
x

 

[Fake coal burner]

Take a look where the circle is in the picture of your stove I sent. Might have too buff with a wire brush in a electric drill. Might need a magnifying glass to make it out. I enlarge your picture I can see it. They are hard to see on new stoves.

 

[bugarit]

here, where it says no 1?..

 

[Fake coal burner]

here, where it says no 1?..

Here is the company history web.

(broken link removed to http://www.esse.com/stoves/history/1890.html)

I would guess that stove is around the 1890s You will have a nice stove when you get threw with it. If it isn't in to bad of shape. Looks good so far buy you pictures. If you will pm me I will give you the Tech manger and VP . E-mall address of the company. Let us know how you are coming along with the stove.

 

[begreen]

Could be you have the first model off of the casting line. If so, that may increase its value. Seems worth further investigation. I'd write Esse.

Here's a tribute to the Smith and Wellstood stoves of yore from an Esse pamphlet.

"When James Smith and Stephen Wellstood first introduced the ESSE stove in the UK
150 years ago, they had no idea of the long line of famous patrons that lay ahead.
For example, Florence Nightingale insisted on having one at her hospital in Balaclava
and subsequently sent the company a letter of her appreciation and admiration of the
stoves qualities.
Pioneer explorers Shackleton and Scott also relied on an ESSE stove during their
gruelling Antarctic expeditions.
Indeed, when American explorers came across the abandoned base camp, they
cleaned the ashes from the range and successfully relit the fire. Forty years on.
ESSE continued their pioneering association into the 21st century with Alan Hinkes,
Britain’s top high altitude mountaineer, whose base camp in the Himalayas was heated
by a specially developed ESSE Solo.
Little wonder that six British monarchs including Queen Victoria and the present
Queen Elizabeth II have granted Smith & Wellstood not only a Royal Warrant but also
pride of place in their respective households.
Yet despite this unique heritage and impeccable pedigree, today's models are not shy
of incorporating the very latest design developments and engineering refinements.
And of course they are still hand crafted in the time honoured tradition at the ESSE
foundry in the North of England and now available in North America.
Top - One of our very first cooking stoves
Above - Another satisfied customer. A letter of
appreciation from Florence Nightingale.
We’ve been warming hearts
and homes for 150 years
For generations people have fallen in love with the
glowing warmth of an ESSE stove."

(broken link removed to http://www.gascoals.net/Portals/1/Esse/DVA46pp_leaflet.pdf)

 

[ftw80]

Hi Yes it's pre Esse but to find out the age exactly check inside or underneath it to see if it has a "RD No." if it has contact me and I can date it to within 6 months of the original casting. If you get stuck getting the clear mica sheets for the doors I can supply it for you or in a pre-cut set of 6 or 8 panes, also we do Dragon mk1 and mk2 glass conversions.
Regards FTW
http://www.stovemica.com/

 

[f3cbboy]

very cool post here. it sure would be something to be using the same thing that Earnest Shackleton used to keep warm and make hoose on.

 

[flintknappers]

Hi we have one of these wood burns in our pub. was working up to about 9 years ago when we stopped using it. have been thinking of selling it. a few customs have offered to buy it with offers around £500 to £900 but we don't know whats it worth.
here some pictures of it. it has the glass in the front missing. i'll try and down size the photos as they are coming up to big.

 

[flintknappers]

maybe time here we go

 

[ftw80]

Hi
In this economic climate, prices have crashed but £500 is o.k for it, if the enamel is fair condition. At £900 I would snap his hand off and buy him a pint. I think somewhere in between is fair if you can get it.
If you want to replace the glass panels, we can supply them, worldwide. Also mica sheets ready cut to shape. http://www.stovemica.com/

 

[jasonboud]

here, where it says no 1?..

Not sure if you ever completed your restore, but I have a identical looking and aged DRAGON which we use every day during the winter. Mine is in need of a service and I am having a hard time getting anyone to help.

I think I may service it myself and wondered if you had any useful suppliers you used during your restore?

Jason