Collectible Stoves

Feel the Warmth of an Antique Stove

Gathering around a fire on a cold winter day can be a pleasant experience that only amplifies when there is a stove that you can cook a warm meal on and use to keep you cozy. If you're looking for a similar experience, you can find plenty of inexpensive vintage heating stoves on eBay.

A cast iron wood stove is usually made from iron or steel often lined with fire bricks to burn wood. These are also the most common types of antique stoves that are widely available in single-plate models. A coal stove is another well-known example, which is similar to the wood in the way that you need to empty the ash pan and rake the coals to keep the antique in good condition.

Step-top cookstove models are also sought after since they provide you with more space for pots. Some of the high-end models include water reservoirs, and these stoves are more ornate than others. In fact, if you need inexpensive but fancier antique stoves, pot belly and parlor stoves are practical choices due to their decorative handles, hand carvings, and intricate designs.

Most gas and old electric stoves you will find on eBay are probably less than 150 years old. A gas stove is characterized by a valve on the side to hook it to the gas outlet. An electric stove will include a cord for attaching it to an electric supply. A genuine stove without any of these may be much older.

If the stove has legs going all the way from the top to the ground without a large body, it's reflective of the early 20th-century style. Stoves from the period may also have intricate patterns and designs. Antique cast-iron stoves usually have the manufacturer's name stamped into the metal, while the newer stoves have a metal plate featuring the name and model of the stove. Older stoves have a patent number instead of a model number, and they are usually heavier due to the cast iron they contain.

Antique stove collectors can verify the value of a used vintage stove by looking at its design, age, practicality, number of plates, and condition. A historic cast-iron, single-plate stove that has a manufacturer's stamp on it is likely to fetch a much greater price than the standard antique stove.

Large six-plate or 10-plate antique stoves can also be very expensive. In contrast, antique stoves for sale in fairly good condition from the 20th or late 19th century are easy pickings for collectors due to the lower cost. A nonfunctioning antique stove that has an intricate design may also attract buyers due to its decorative aspects.