Australian Manufactured Bren Mag Tin

[Flying10uk]

I have this Bren mag tin which when it came to me was missing it's handle and needed a paint strip and repaint due to rust. The tin had apparently been put to some other use because it had various extra holes drilled into it and a lock clasp fitted. It did, however, retain all it's internal fittings and I also had a spare handle salvaged from a tin too far gone to be worth restoring.

On stripping the paint off I was surprised to find an Electrolux marking similar to what is found on mag casings. I take this making to be Electrolux Australia because of their involvement in the manufacture of magazines in Australia. I think that this tin proves that the Bren mag tin was indeed made in Australia which seems perfectly logical but this is the first example which I am aware of.

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Electrolux..... Off at a tangent, so loook away now.......... Bought the former leasehold ROF Theale from the MoS in the early 50's. Made consumer electrical good there for ages. Business was good but, alas, kept giving in to Union lead demands for higher wages. = much cost cutting, over-priced goods (mainly refrigerators) couldn't keep up with competition from Italy. So went bust. As did many local sub contractors who were previously engaged in sub contract work for Mk5 Stens.

[Flying10uk]

They made good vacuum cleaners. My parents used a mid 1950s model well into the late 1970s as did my gran; granted they required a few repairs over the years but both gave excellent service.

[tankhunter]

They made good vacuum cleaners. My parents used a mid 1950s model well into the late 1970s as did my gran; granted they required a few repairs over the years but both gave excellent service.

A Little known fact, is that The Sterling Engineering Company. Who made the Excellent L2 Series of Sub Machine Guns. Also Manufactured cylinder style vacuum Cleaners as well.

[martins8589]

Electrolux factory at Orange NSW. OA was the stampings on parts made for Lithgow rifles and bayonets from the Electrolux factory at Orange NSW.

[Flying10uk]

tankhunter, do you know if Sterling used a different trade name for the vacuum cleaners that you mention, please?

[tankhunter]

TBH, I don't know Steve. But I DO know they were silver 'Hammerite' main body finish. With each end cap a Maroon Colour.

[Peter Laidler]

Sterling Cables also started out their life as part of the Sterling Engineering group. There is a BIG section on the internet dedicated to collectors of vacuum cleaners. It'll be there for sure........ Train spotters......... vacuum cleaner spotters and all that!

[Sentryduty]

A Little known fact, is that The Sterling Engineering Company. Who made the Excellent L2 Series of Sub Machine Guns. Also Manufactured cylinder style vacuum Cleaners as well.

Inglis in Canada of Hi-power and Bren Gun fame later made appliances, in fact my kitchen stove (range) that was removed a few years ago was an Inglis from the late 1980's.

[Peter Laidler]

One day I'll relate the whole sad story of Singer, when told that they were going to tool up to make Sten guns. Talk about throwing their toys out of the pram..........