Hi everyone. First time on this forum. I bought my Furphy CO 4 yrs ago. Is it Aussie or Chinese made. How can you tell. Thanks Wogboy.

Hi Wogboy and welcome to COCIA.  Do you by any chance have a photo.  Furphy have been made in China now for about 7 or 8 years so I would guess there is a good chance that you may have a Chinese one.

This photo shows typical Aussie Furphy's.  The lid shape is the giveaway.

http://www.aussiecampovencook.com/Furphy%20Ovens2.JPG


Derek

Photo

---

Someone else may have an opinion on this one but that looks like an Australian Furphy, however it doesn't look like one made by Furphy.

I understand they had some made in Australia just before they sent the molds to China.  From memory they were made at the Billmans Foundry in Victoria.

I have one just like it.


Derek

poddy dodger wrote on Mar 11^th, 2008 at 10:58am:

Chinese one, the lid and the ears are a dead give away. pd

I think the writing on the lid is to big for a Chinese one PD.

Where ever its made its still a great CO. Wogboy.

This is the 14 currently on ebay.  See how the print is smaller.

---

This is my Billmans Furphy 12".  See how the print is larger.  Also the T in Shepparton is a bit offset.

---

Now you's have got me wondering about my 12' Furphy :-? :-/ :-?, I'll have to post some pics tonight. It looks much the same as wogboy's. (I think)

Cheers

Jono

This is the whole CO.

---

wogboy wrote on Mar 11^th, 2008 at 11:48am:

This is the whole CO.

Definately a Billmans Furphy.  The bale handle is the defining feature.  Chinese ones don't have the little u shape at the top,

These are the Chinese Furphy's.  See the straight through bale handle

http://www.furphyfoundry.com.au/media/camping/camp_oven.jpg


Derek

Thanks Derek. Looks like it's a Billman's Furphy. Is it as good as one made at the Furphy Foundry. Thanks Wogboy. :-/

Mine seems to be pretty good.

I was told by John at Billmans Foundry that they made the Furphy ovens under agreement or licence using, I think, molds supplied by Furphy, the lids are a bit different. I notice the handle on the Chinese made lid is the typical thicker at one end type on all Taiwanese and Chinese lids.
I have a Billmans and the bale with the hoop ends etc is the same.
Just my two cents worth.

pd

Here's a few pics of a couple of different ovens and some noticable differences in the handle.
This begs the question, what was the year that Furphy started producing Chinese made ovens and what period did Billmans do casting for Furphy.
I have included a picture of a Billmans 9" oven and the hande is identical to my 20" and 15" Furphy oven. You can tell that the same method was used when casting these ovens. One similarity with these three ovens is that there is no gap on in the middle of the handle, so one would assume that they were possibly all produced at Billmans. The other pictures are of an 8" and a 10" Furphy and the most noticable difference is the gap in the middle of the handle. The 10" oven was made in 1993 and i'm unclear on the year of the 8" oven. I beleive that the 10" and the 8" were made at the Furphy foundry. The Last photo is of another 15" Furphy oven lid that I picked up at a camping store that was orderd in for a replacement, this lid has the same handle design as the 12" oven that Wogboy and MW have. I personally think that the two 12" ovens and the 15" lid may have been some of the first cast in China. This handle mould I can only recall seeing after the year 2000 and i'm led to beleive that this was the first year of Chinese production. I could be wrong but I would love to know your thoughts.
Astro.
FURPHY 20"
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/7161/furphybillmans004np4.jpg
FURPHY 15"
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/1156/furphybillmans005ix5.jpg
BILLMANS 9"
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/9868/furphybillmans002ip1.jpg
FURPHY 10"
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/8391/furphybillmans001eo8.jpg
FURPHY 8"
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/5738/furphybillmans003xg2.jpg
FURPHY 15" LID
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/6356/furphybillmans007dj6.jpg

I still reckon it's more than a bit misleading to put FURPHY  SHEPPARTON on the lid when they're made in China.
The 12" and the 14" ovens which sold on eBay last week were both Chinese but I'd bet the people who bought them thought they were the real deal, made here.

BTW astroboy, I drool over your little black babies, the 9" Billmans looks very desirable, and made in Victoria too, mmmm might give them a call......

PD

Here we go. I always thought it was an original. Can anybody help me out? Aussie or Chinese? Thanks

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/1705/1002255fx4.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6241/1002256gr5.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5923/1002258ym6.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/8421/1002259lt4.jpg

Also my first go at Imageshack, It takes a bit of sorting out. Think I'm getting it right.

Cheers

Jono

"Mackerel Whisperer"

MW, in my opinion that is without a doubt an Aussie made oven, I would say produced at the Furphy foundry not by Billmans. The handle is a dead giveaway and the mark on the base. Its a great looking oven hope to get one like that myself one day to complete my collection.
Astro.

Jono,

Over here on the flip side of the planet, that ridge on the base of the pot is called a gate.  It's from the hole where they poured in the iron.  They quit doing a gate about 1890 over here and started putting that hole along an edge where it can be removed.  And the round uneven spot, that's called a spru.  Also from where they poured in the iron.  I have no idea of the time frame when foundries tended to use either or both.    Still, like here, it confirms that that oven is older.  

I'd love to be told the time frame for gates and sprus.

Count your lucky stars and colour me green, very green.

8-)

Thanks Astro and LK

I picked it up at a clearing sale auction last year for $230, I'm thinking thats pretty good price compared to what you see the new ones sell for on ebay. It would have been a lot cheaper, only one other lady was on to it!

I see a clearing sale on this weekend at Millmerran, Might be worth a look if any of us are handy to there.

 http://www.mattclearyrealestate.com.au/clearing.htm

Cheers

Jono

"Mackerel Whisperer"

Gee Jono, I thought I knew my ovens but that one confuses me, one thing I'm sure of it isn't Chinese. I tend to agree with Astroboy, Oz made and I reckon, very likely out of Furphy's own foundry. Nice pot wherever it was born. JMHO.
A couple of months ago I bought "The Land" to look up clearance sales on the off chance of finding a Furphy oven. Sure enough I found some at a sale in southern NSW. Sent an email to the auctioneer asking for more info and could I put in a phone or auctioneers bid, they didn't bother answering.
pd