Salesman's scale-model evaporator

[DrTimPerkins]

I recently was given what appears to be a salesman’s scale-model maple evaporator (photos attached). It's an interesting little piece. It doesn’t have any writing on it anywhere. Comes in 4 parts: the arch (with operating firebox doors and ash door), the sap pan (divided into 3 sections with flues), and two syrup pans. Looks to be made of tin that is riveted and soldered together. Very nice workmanship. The configuration of the pans is reversed from those in most use today: syrup pans fit in the model near the stack, and the sap pan fits into the end with the fire doors (I know these types of evaporators existed, but don’t know much about them).

I've only ever seen one other model like this. It is in Gary Gaudette’s office at Leader Evaporator Co. Can anyone tell me anything more about this? What manufacturer or model of evaporator does it represent? How old is it? Anything other info?

In case you were wondering....NO...I'm not interested in selling it.

[TunbridgeDave]

The only time I saw a backward evaporator like that was in Cuttingsville VT. The guy switched his pans around like that and even had a homemade piggyback over the firebox end of the rig. His claim was that he could make darker syrup that way because the syrup in the syrup pans boiled slower and allowed it to darken more. His market was mostly for dark amber and B. I don't know why else you would set it up that way.

How big is the model?

[DrTimPerkins]

It is 13" long and a bit over 4" high to the top of the pans.

[red maples]

thats pretty cool. now you can start a minuture sugarhouse to play with during the off season. :)

[mapleack]

Very cool and no doubt quite old. I've seen the one Gary Gaudette has, years ago at St Albans.

[Bruce L]

I believe Grimm used to do this years ago,their thoughts were less chance of burning your syrup at the back of the arch

[nhmaple48]

I have one I got some time ago,yes it is a Grimm Champion evaporator.The paperwork with mine from Grimm to the agent that had it,is dated from the early 1900's.He must have been a super salesman,as the whole rig is nickle plated.My first rig was one of these that I got in 1960.

[sherwoodm]

Quite a coincidence that just this morning I was admiring the craftsmanship that went in to my example of a model like yours. I will attempt to post photos. Mine was made by John Patrick Gleason, head tinsmith for VT Evaporator Co. in St. Regis Falls, NY. His son gave this to a good friend of mine and I acquired it from the family after my friend died. Like you, I treasure this and it is not for sale. Along with this came a handwritten account by Gleason's son giving some4864 history of the Vt Evaporator Co. and an explanation of how this evaporator worked.

[500592]

Wow those are cool i bet who ever made those had endless patience

[DrTimPerkins]

Quite a coincidence that just this morning I was admiring the craftsmanship that went in to my example of a model like yours. I will attempt to post photos.

Nice. Definitely a different model than yours. An very knowledgeable acquaintance I emailed today tells me the one I have is a salesmans model of the Grimm Champion evaporator from the late-1800s or early-1900s. After I got that info, I went to our archives in the basement of PMRC and pulled out the advertisements/info on these from the early-1900s to get some background information. Hard to imagine the hours that went into building these.

[Brent]

I was up at Atkinson's Maple Supplies, in Oro Station, Ontario last week and they had a model for sale. It was about 20-24" long. I didn't pay much attention to it or even notice the price. It was for sale.

[maplecrest]

the sugar house my grandfather burned down by accident in 1910 had a grimm evap like that. the pans and arch are still there inside the stone foundation. was rivited and soldered.as i walk by i always look and think of lead.the pans are in good shape thinking the age and the fire. i allways wondered about the v's and now i know the pans are upside down

[Sugarmaker]

Both of these are very nice examples of salesman samples! I had the opportunity to buy a scale model of a evaporator several years ago. It was Amish made and gets a lot of attention during our open house.