Antique Norwegian Kalani Vasgyar Cast Iron Stacking Castle Stove Heater 71"

A rare and impressive American Central Oil & Gas Lighthouse 110 heater. Baby boomers who grew up in Gardner may recall visits to their grandmother’s house that had a large Florence stove occupying space in the kitchen. Dating back to the 1880s, they were manufactured at the American Oil Stove Co. in Gardner, later at the Central Oil and Gas Co., and by 1924 it became Florence Stove. At one time, it held Gardner’s second largest workforce, second only to furniture manufacturer Heywood-Wakefield Co. What people may not realize is that the stove company was not named Florence for a person but rather for the place where the wickless-type kerosene burner was invented and adapted into a cooking appliance. It was in the small town of Florence, Mass. – next door to Northampton – where William H. Wilder invented the kerosene burner in 1872. The most amazing thing about the invention was that Wilder was only 17-years old when he contracted with the Florence Machine Co., which at the time was manufacturing sewing machines, to build the ranges for him. Wilder was the only man from Gardner to be elected to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., but before that time he formed the American Oil Stove Co. in Gardner in 1884. Joining forces with Alvin M. Greenwood and Calvin H. Hill, the men began to develop some of Wilder’s inventions to initially manufacture Florence kerosene ranges at the plant on lower School Street. In 1890, Central Oil and Gas Co. took over the business and moved the operations back to a factory in Florence. A short time later, an economic depression dubbed “the Panic of 1893” nearly wiped out Wilder, leaving him on the brink of bankruptcy. He was able to reorganize the Gardner plant by 1896 and the company soon began working on gas appliances, such as hot plates and gas burners. In no time, the business began to flourish and the local facility expanded over 10 and one-half acres of land. A disastrous fire on April 19, 1899, destroyed the main factory on School Street. Since Wilder was well connected within the community, it didn’t take long for the locals to come to his aid. In less than a week’s time, a temporary structure was fashioned helping with the manufacture of stoves. After Wilder died in 1913, his son, Solon Wilder, became president of the Central Oil and Gas Stove Co. until his death at the age of 39 in 1922. It became organized in 1924 under Joseph P. Carney, who proposed the name the Florence Stove Co. Kerosene ranges were still a major part of the business, while the company also began developing cabinet-type room heaters, wickless kerosene burners and the first “look-in” windows for the over doors of kerosene ranges. In time, Florence Stove opened production plants throughout the country in such locations as Kankakee, Ill., Newark, Ohio, and Lewisburg, Tenn. During the Depression around 1933, Florence Stove was credited with introducing the first oil and gas dual-oven combination all-steel range. The following year, the company developed the first oil-burning space heaters, which connected to home chimneys. For many years, Florence Stove in Gardner manufactured gas ranges...

Antique Hibbards True Value Kerosene cabin space heater / stove / burner. Hibbards True Value No M181H, Model D81 by Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co of Chicago. Dimensions: 15.5” x 2...

A very large and impressive fireplace mantel with Neoclassical and Grecian styling that features an impressive carved over mantel with open pediment design and ornate flower urn with acanthus accents. Features fluted columns, egg and dart molding, a sheath of wheat with ribbon, and carved reticulated flowers framing the 19th century impressionist landscape oil painting. The fireplace mantel and surround...

Large and impressive antique Victorian architectural salvage fireplace mantel and surround. Expertly crafted about 1895 for a St. Louis mansion, this Renaissance design is wonderful...

Very large and exceedingly rare English Renaissance Revival fireplace mantel, circa 1860s. Made of hand carved walnut featuring a gothic cathedral design. The fireplace portion is ...

Antique round copper bed warming pan with concentric circles of pierced holes in the lid and a simple cast iron handle.

A decorative cast iron stove made by the Smith and Wellgood Ltd Stoveworks. The top with guilloche and scroll detailing, flutes and sunburst...

Amazingly colorful French Louis XV fireplace mantel from Paris, France. This bright and friendly pompadour style mantel comes with cast iron stove and...

Original antique cast-iron French tiled stove from circa 1890. Dimensions: 80 cm high, 85 cm wide, 50 cm deep.

Antique Dolly's Favorite Cast Iron Childs Salesman Sample Stove by Favorite Stove & Range Co. Circa 1900. Measurements: 36.5" H (with chimney) x 23.25...

Antique vintage old Cast iron wood little stove, Canada Star model, which was produced by the famous NECA foundries (A. Necchi & A. Campi...

This original Art Nouveau style enameled cast iron stove is a German work of the company Musgrave & Co dating from the beginning of the 20th century. ...