Something unique & antique always adds up charm & warmth to your place. It regenerates the aura and the freshness like its new surroundings. And when it comes to antique items the things become incomparable to others.

The creativity the design & the structure can be so fruitful to the eyes. But as we say the more the worth the more duplicate options will be available in the market to it. Therefore discovering the original item is the crucial part.

Identification of these functional heating devices is part of knowledge if you want to know more about their history and value. From patent numbers to styles, there are several clues available that help you identify your antique wood stove.

Antique Wood Stoves: What Is Their Purpose?

You might be surprised after knowing the intention behind the discovery. An antique wood stove was manufactured for the lone purpose of heating an intended environment.

But after the reframing of the structure, it was developed to be an appliance for cooking and even laundry. Exactly you might wonder about a multifunctional device with two completely different tasks.

A Brief History Of Antique Wood Stoves

Every remarkable discovery is always backed up with tons of failures. So is the line of Antique Wood Stoves.

1. The Eighteenth Century

As we all know before the appearance of the wood stove, cooking was majorly performed over open fires using wood and grass which also served as sources of heat.

But, in the year 1728, cast iron stoves were first manufactured in too much quantity and the item was so potent that they were able to replace open fires. They were known as ‘Five Plates’ or ‘Jamb Stoves’ and they were designed in Germany.

This century also brought the six-plate closed stove in the year 1740; and by the end of 1760, the 10-plate cook stove with additional two hinged doors and an oven emerged was introduced.

After which Ten-Plate Stove, portable heating stoves began to be manufactured in America in about 1760. Believingly this very early stove, dated 1767, is an infrequent survivor from that time. This unique stove contained a separate oven, for small items such as small quantities of meat, bread, or pies could be baked.

2. The Nineteenth Century

In the nineteenth century, wood stoves evolved into common sights as well, and rarely houses still had fireplaces. Also, a unique trait of the wood stoves in this century was that they were lighter and more finely cast than the ones in the 18th century that had six plates.

3. The Early-Twentieth Century

With the start of the 20th century, wood stoves grew more in innovations. The stoves that were introduced in this century were larger with wider surface areas and came with extra features. Along with that above or beside the firebox, you would also find a warming drawer or an additional water reservoir.

And they charmed up the wood stove with Ceramic surfaces for a fancier look and to add color to the kitchen or parlor. These also include luxuriously designed handles and drawer pulls were also added for a much more modern look.

How To Identify An Antique Wood Stove

1. Identification Based On Classification

With these uniquely carved pieces, it is expected several categories to trim down up. Based on defining features of your antique wood stove, you can easily differentiate your stove type. The common ones are:

1. Franklin Stove

Initially created in the 18th century (precisely in 1728) by Benjamin Franklin, this stove became an inspiration for all the upcoming future wood stoves that would emerge. This Franklin stove, with its three-sided iron-hinged doors, is quite replicating the design of a fireplace insert. However, due to some drawbacks like the hazard posed by the open front fire and its rapid ability to burn wood, the original design was naturally rejected.

2. Eisenglass Stove

This beautiful Eisenglass stove was made with thin sheets of ‘Mica’ that were transparent and flexible in nature. The basic advantage of the stove was that it had a fire-viewing window through which people could look easily.

However, the Eisenglass is known to flake and lose its natural color with growing time.

3. Ceramic Wood Stove

These ceramic wood stoves mainly featured ceramic tiles that were good conductors of heat and could keep the cold out even when the fire had died in it. It was very popular in the mid-1800s but fizzled out as modern designs were introduced in the market.

4. Soapstone Wood Stove

The Soapstone wood stove has its explicative features are the fact & with its unique property of being constructed from soapstone which was rare in stove making process and its capability of conducting heat efficiently.

5. Pot-belly Stove

The very noticeable feature of this type of stove was its bulging rounded fire loading area and pipe siphon that use to extend from the top of the stove remarkably.

6. Cast-iron Wood Burning Stove

Even the slightest thought of cast iron wood stoves is used to give the idea of a very distinctive design of cast iron wood stoves. As the name implies, this model stove is made from cast iron and has a door or inerting wood and a pipe that extends from the back of the stove.

7. Wood Cook Stove

This Wood Cookstoves design was the main purpose was for kitchen cooking only. They had burners at the top (distinctive in various designs from one to four), an additional oven was provided on one side, and a stove box on the other for burning wood–to start the fire.

8. Parlor Stove

This parlor stove design was very common during the Victorian era. They were smaller and more uniquely carved than the other stoves. But these come with a negative point which was due to their small size, they could only heat a room or a maximum of two.

Read More: Valuable Guide on Antique Pocket Watch Identification

Identification Based On Heat Source

Since the age of stoves were introduced they were gaining popularity but still, research must go on therefore manufacturers began to look for other means of heat sources as well.

Because basically in the 17th century, wood stoves were made to solely burn wood, despite their use were made.

With the flowing time as the coal and iron mining business grew after the civil war, coal-burning cookstoves designs started to come in known. And with the transition from wood to coal, manufacturers found an alternative. This led them to gas.

Undoubtedly a coal-burning stove, however, burns better when the source of air comes below the flame for lighting.

Thus, you can observe that easily upon a top vent that delivers air to the bottom of the fire. You will also notice a small metal grate at the base of the firebox which allows ash to fall through it; it also prevents blockage of air from below the fireplace.

This ash generated in it falls into a separate compartment, into an ash pan which can be removed and emptied easily and placed between fires to prevent the buildup of ashes. These kinds of stoves are more modern and are around 100-150 years old.

Identification Through Manufacturer’s Mark

The ordering of this information varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but in mostly many antique wood stoves back then have a brand mark along the body of the stove to it.

Most cast iron stoves that were made at that time usually have the brand name embossed into the metal of the stove door.

If you are still able to identify the manufacturer, look carefully at the sides or the back of the stove; particularly the undersides then its originality and other features can be determined.

Also, look for a metal plate attached to the stove that also can bear the manufacturer’s name and in some cases, even the model number. Newer stove models are known to have this type of identification upon them.

Common manufacturer’s name mark you might see include:

• Glenwood
• Charter Oak Stove Company
• Acme
• Clarion
• Queen Atlantic
• Home Comfort
• Barstow

Identification Through Patent Number

For more specification to it the manufacturer’s mark, antique wood stoves come with a patent number for identification; especially cast over the iron stoves. Examine the dimensions of the stove for a set of numbers, sometimes starting with ‘PAT’.

Look up the number on patent databases (e.g. The United States Patent Office) or charts for patent numbers. These charts, in most cases, contain the year the patent was issued by the stove. Thus, it will be helping you determine your stove’s age more appropriately.

How Can You Value Your Antique Wood Stove

Things known from ages before are worth the money they are unique, strong, and mostly crafted in a very remarkable manner. Old stoves can be expensive, especially in uncertain times.

It’s would be very common to see antique stoves selling for several hundred dollars nowadays. However, the condition of things defines their worth and is expected to be the major factor.

If your stove is cracked, seriously rusted, or has other significant damage, it will be worth extensively less. It’s also important to note that several factors also add up to the worth for instance a role in value since shipping a heavy woodstove is often cost-prohibitive.

To find the value of an antique wood stove, you can compare your stove against lately sold stoves similar to these:

• A Victor enamel cook stove sold on eBay for about $1,250.00.
• An ornate Victorian cast iron parlor stove in pleasant condition sold for about $500.
• A small wood heating stove from the Civil War era in just fine condition sold for about $300.

Determine the Type of Wood Stove

Since the era was full of inventions therefore there were many transitions in this field as well. There are multiple options available for you to etermine from in the field of antique wooden stoves. These are some of the common options:

• Franklin stoves
• Cast iron wood-burning stove
• Soapstone wood stoves
• Ceramic wood stoves
• Pot-bellied stoves
• Eisenglass stoves
• Parlor stoves
• Wood cook stoves

Frequently Asked Question

1. Can you use an old wood-burning stove outside?

Well, the answer is yes. Yes – you can put them anywhere in your garden. Wood-burning stoves can be easily installed on the patio or decking outside. You can install a wood-burning stove anywhere without worrying be it in your garden, whether that be in your shed, garage, summerhouse, or even in your cabin.

2. What wood can you burn on a wood burner?

To make it burn efficiently. Hardwood is a great fuel for wood-burning stoves. With a diverse option of different types known, including woods like ash, birch, maple, and oak, as well as the wood from the vast majority of fruit trees, hardwood firewood is known well for burning for a longer duration of time, which also positively generates a lot of heat.

3. Do wood stoves rust?

Weel his factor is basically dependent on the use and maintenance of the stove. If your wood-burning stove is left in storage or exposed to wetness then it can start to rust very quickly. Modern stoves are much less tolerant than older stoves to this kind of problem, but unexpected issues can frequently arise even in the modern appliance that is being used nowadays. Generally, if it is out of use for an extended period.

If you want to keep a wood stove pot from rusting, you need to first tackle any existing rust, and then protect the stove pot by using high-temperature stove paint. Painting your stove pot not only restores its appearance, but the paint seals any exposed areas that could begin to rust in the future. By this it will also look nice and renewed along with that it will be safe from rust or any other troubles.

These antique wood cook stoves are available with refreshing designs and unique usages, thus resulting in restoring the vibes of your living place.

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