Pyromasse Home PageI Saw A Strange Stove


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This tin stove was originally installed in a school house in Aquitaine, dating from the 1840s. These deductions are presumptive as the, now retired, owner of the building can only vouch for its original location which he remembered from the times he would visit his grandfather as a child.

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The former School House. The stove was located on the ground floor of the exterior wall to the right, which is now covered by an annex.




The stove was installed against an outside wall and incorporated into the centre of a line of wooden shelves, running the whole length of the wall, which were terminated with a marble counter top at the same height as the stove

The body of the stove is made from relatively thin steel, with certain portions of its fire box being in a thicker steel, and cast iron. The removable top is formed by one piece of granite. No manufacturers name or mark is visible.




From bottom: Ash tray. Fire box loading opening. Two circular vents of the air sleeve that runs between the fire box and the stoves housing. And warming drawer.




The flue exit, at top ran through the outside wall and was connected to a relatively short length of stove pipe running up the wall. The air intake, below, also traversed the wall, providing flow for the air sleeve around the fire box.

This air sleeve, besides providing warm convected air, would also reduce the clearance necessary between the stove and the combustible counter into which it was originally inserted.





View inside the fire box. Presumably ash would be removed directly from the firebox floor into the open ash drawer, which would then be removed to be emptied. Primary air is delivered through two intake openings in the fire box door.
The stove was probably used for heating and warming school dinners. Whether it was fed with wood, or embers from one of the buildings several other wood burning appliances is not known.

What am I?



Marcus Flynn

2010




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