Topic: FVK_315 Frese/Фрезе 9hp fire truck 1904

[Fёdor]

Identify the make and model of this fire truck

[Fёdor]

Experts ?

[Fёdor]

Pros !

[Fёdor]

Masters ?

[Wendax]

German?

[Fёdor]

No

[Oguerrerob]

France?

[Fёdor]

No

[gte4289]

UK circa 1903?

[Fёdor]

No

[gte4289]

I've spent some time reviewing old fire brigade photos to see if I could identify the location based on the uniforms. Two things I've noticed so far:

1) Fire fighter uniforms of the period appear to all be the same at first glance, but a combination of small details actually make these uniforms somewhat unique; and

2) These men are awfully slender for fire fighters, especially of that period. And the same can be said of that fire engine.

Unfortunately, neither observation has brought me any closer to the solution.

So... Europe?

[Fёdor]

Yes

[gte4289]

I found a match for those uniforms ... in St. Petersburg. The first Russian fire engine, built by Pyotr Aleksandrovich Freze (Пётр Алекса́ндрович Фре́зе) of St Petersburg in 1904.

"It was the last Freze vehicle with a single-cylinder De Dion Bouton engine (9 hp, 942 cm³). The vehicle was designed to carry 10 firefighters, and had a stander with an 80-fathom fire hose and two fire ladders. The fire-fighting equipment was supplied by the St. Petersburg firm Langensiepen. The fire engine was built in a single copy and was purchased by the Alexander Nevsky Fire Department of St. Petersburg."

So the make was 'Freze' (Frese/Фрезе) and the model '9 hp'?

[Fёdor]

That's right! Well-found.

[gte4289]

Thanks!