According to our Border officials, Canada Customs, an "Antique" is anything
over 50 years old and is therefore "Duty-Free".    Now, many of us fit that
description as to age, but are not able to accomplish the custom of being
free of duties.

The more I think on it, the more I like the name of the federal government
department, "Canada Customs".   They must be the ones who make sure that no
auto parts stores are open today, Boxing Day, so I can not fix my broken
windshield wiper motor.   They must also be the ones who have instigated the
notion that no one works on Boxing Day, even though it is not an official
Statutory Holiday.   The popular desire not to work is superseding the
government and union regulations, a true expression of a custom.   Is it
similar in the USA or is Canada leading the way into the new age of leisure
promised by the computer touters.

As to wood stoves, I have a 1932 stove made in Ontario that is a beautiful
model of a moment in the era of transition from traditional to modern
design.   It is a proper wood stove with many little extras obviously
designed by someone who has used them in real life, things like handy little
pull-out rods here and there to hang mittens on or to dry dish cloths, a
handy
row of cast iron hooks built-in on the back side of the warming oven for
hanging towels or coats, and removable interior sides and floor of the oven
to allow easy cleaning, a removable chrome rail all across the front that
never gets hot to the touch because of the way it is fastened to the body of
the stove like a lid lifter.   The best innovation is a cast iron base
instead of legs to hold up
the stove, with an large but hidden opening in the back side to allow the
cat to get in and enjoy the warm cozy space below the oven.  Because there
are no legs, it is easy to sweep or vacuum the floor all around the stove.
The entire
stove design is based on elegant cantilevering.   The cast iron base is
ovoid, about 20" across at the floor, swooping up in a graceful curve to
about 14" diameter at the underside of the oven.   The stove body  itself is
a conventional shape with firebox on the left, but the unique ash grates are
three
beautiful interlocking spirals.   The water well cantilevers off to the
right with a
finely designed support bracket that looks like it came right off a French
curve.   Best of all, the warming oven is (visually) delicately balanced on
the back wall of the stove, cantilevering, but not equally, both forward and
back with similar elegant curved cast iron support brackets.   The entire
design is of smooth
lines, not the old Victorian gingerbread style, but reflecting the early
1930's transition to clean lines and aerodynamic shaping of everything from
car fenders to refrigerators.   It actually looks a bit more Art Deco with
its clean yellow enamel and black enamel pin stripe line work around the
doors.

The dealer I bought it from said he had been restoring and selling stoves
for decades and had never seen anything like this one.   However it was made
by Elmira Stove Works in Ontario, a well known company.   Every time I look
at it I see an architectural mind at work in the design.   It is stunningly
well balanced and seems to float effortlessly in the air.

cp in bc
Happy Boxing Day to y'awl



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ruth Barton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 9:22 AM
Subject: [BP] Speaking of stoves


>I have finally gotten Merrill's Grandma's woodburning cookstove set up and
> working in our backroom.  Ralph and Bruce will know this place as they
> have
> been here.  The rest of you all are welcome any time, this time of year
> the
> stove will be merrily blazing.
>
> This stove had to be moved when the "home farm" was sold a few years ago
> and we took it in.  Had to get a decent chimney built, settled on a total
> new "metalbestos" system.  I love my "new" old stove.
>
> This is certainly not my first experience with a woodburning cookstove, I
> learned to cook on one then had one in the 70s.
>
> We even have the original invoice from when Grandma bought the stove new
> in
> 1939.  Is it an antique yet?
>
> Merry Christmas to one and all,  Ruth

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