How to Look for a Combination Wood & Coal Cooking Stove
Wood and coal cooking stoves were mass produced from the late 19th century through around 1920. A uniquely American product, the wood burning stove quickly became a signature example of American ingenuity and craftsmanship. Wood and coal cooking stoves were treasured around the world. While you probably have an electric or gas range in your house now, nothing can quite replace the practical beauty of these original wood burning stoves. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Go to an expert on antique restoration. Antique wood burning stoves are popular objects for restoration because of their durability, practical application and high resale value. If you are willing to pay top dollar (many antique stoves sell for between $2,000 and $5,000), then an antique restorer should be your first stop.
-
2
Check rural antique stores. Unlike antique stores in metropolitan areas, rural antique stores are likely to have large items that serve more for atmosphere than sale. Whereas city antique stores are likely to deal largely in European antiques, rural stores are often massive collections of material culled from the local area. Antique stoves from a shop of this nature are unlikely to be restored, making this one of the only ways to find a deal on a wood burning stove.
-
-
3
Negotiate with the seller. Because wood burning stoves can come in so many shapes, sizes and conditions, there is no universal standard of pricing. That means that an experienced haggler, or just someone who is willing to fight for lower prices, is likely to have much greater success in getting what they want.
-
4
Narrow your search by determining the space you can devote to a wood burning stove. Wood and coal stoves range from the narrow, round cooking surface of the potbelly stove to immense ranges and broad designs. Ask vendors for a stove's footprint, which will give you a rough idea of how much floor space a wood and coal burning stove is likely to take up. Potbelly stoves typically have square footprints, with 24 by 24 inches being a common measurement. More full featured stoves, such as the Otter River, have footprints as large as 40 by 30 inches.
-
5
Pick your features. Wood and coal burning stoves can have a great diversity of features. One common luxury is the presence of a water reservoir to one side. Other features many seek include baking compartments and easy to access ash bins. Other features are more rare. For example, only a handful of wood and coal burning stove models featured glass windows on the door.
-
6
Inspect the stove before purchasing. While a great deal of cleaning and restoration can be done by the buyer, some things are harder to replace or fix. Ornate trim, one of the more prized elements of these antique treasures, can be sensitive and subject to breaking. Be sure to check metal trim, particularly around the legs and above the stove surface. Another important element is the flue element. Check that the passage is relatively clear and that the opening and shutting mechanism works, with all components in place. While cleaning a flue is relatively simple, finding old parts for one is a much harder task.
-
1
