Potbelly stoves
are small, wood-fired stoves that were common in homes, schools and stores in the 1800s and early 1900s. They doubled as heaters and as cooktops. Originally called Cannon stoves, they were nicknamed potbelly stoves because of their curvy middle bulge, which looked like a potbelly, or protruding belly. Potbelly stoves are similar in appearance to other types of stoves, including cylinder stoves, but noting a few crucial differences will help you tell if the antique stove you see is a potbelly stove. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Look at the main wood burning area. The overall shape should look like an hourglass in reverse; instead of bulging ends that taper in the middle, you should see one bulge in the middle that is tapered on top and slightly less so toward the bottom. This section will have a door in front where you can load wood, and a second door in front but toward the bottom, which you open to collect ash. If the top of the middle section doesn't taper in but instead remains as thick as the middle, you have a cylinder stove. The center of the middle section should have a rim all the way around called a skirt rail.
2. Check the top of the stove for a flat, plate-like surface. The middle section of a potbelly stove will taper toward the top, then expand into a wider flat area suitable for heating up a pan of food. If the top appears domed, see if the dome is a removable cover for the cooking surface.
3. Look around the stove for an exhaust pipe. Sometimes, the pipes are obvious and stick straight up from one side of the top plate, while other times the pipe is attached to the side of the stove. The pipe should lead to a vent in the wall or ceiling if you are looking at at a potbelly stove that is installed and in use.
Tags: middle section, potbelly stove, door front, Potbelly stoves, toward bottom
