1950's Fuel Tablets and Collapsible Grill

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ChowLine
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2016 4:15 pm

1950's Fuel Tablets and Collapsible Grill

Post by ChowLine » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:22 am

Hey all! I've got a question NOT about those famous WWII USMC issued fuel tablets made by J.W. Speaker Corp, BUT their post war products/ brand name sold as "Heatabs."

In my collection I have a folding USMC stove dated 1943, and that well known yellow and blue tube of fuel tablets. However, what I want to ask a question about is an item I recently aquied which appears to be a post war version of fuel tablets made for the 1950s civilian market, which shares the same name and on the box seems to advertise the "same" USMC folding stove, which they advertise as the "Heatab Folding Grill." When I saw this box and artwork, I immediatly thought back to a unique item in my collection I had no information on.

I have a folding stove, identical to the USMC one, but totally devoid of markings except for "Japan" stamped on the bottom. This stove is clearly a copy of the USMC one made in Japan for the civilian market, like so many post war consumer goods such as those related to camping were.

What I could not determine is who made it. I think that this Japan USMC stove copy is the "Heatab Folding Grill" advertised on the box.

Now, my other question, is this post war "Heatab" box of fuel tablets made by the same company, and of the same name as the WWII J.W. Speaker Corp? The only indication of a parent company is the text "Used extensively by Americas Armed Forces," to indicate it is. There is no patent number or date stamped on the box anywhere.

So, who here might know information about the "Heatab" brand POST WWII, and what they sold/ made or if this is the same as the WWII maker.

I have included photos from my collection.
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