Good Time Stove Company

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Round Oak Cylinder Stoves - A History

ROUND OAK STOVES

Welcome to the Good Time Stove Company’s Round Oak Stove Section.

Sara and I hope you’ll spend a spell and check out our Round Oak inventory as well as travel back in time to learn a little bit about the history of the Round Oak Stove and the Round Oak Stove Company in Dowagiac, Michigan.

I can’t wait to share with you some spectacular stoves in our inventory, so let’s go browsing.

This article contains the following sections:

1. Good Time Stove Co.
Current Antique Cylinder Stove Inventory

2. Antique Round Oak Stoves in Homes; Happy Customers

3. Vintage Round Oak Catalogs

4. Vintage Round Oak Trade Cards

5. Vintage Round Oak Advertisements

6. History of the Round Oak Stove Company

7. The Founder - P. D. Beckwith

ANTIQUE ROUND OAK STOVES IN SETTINGS

& HAPPY ROUND OAK CUSTOMERS

VINTAGE ROUND OAK CATALOG INFORMATION

P.D. Beckwith’s Round Oak Stove Company published stove catalogs that featured Indian lore stories.

The stories centered around the life of a young Indian brave named Doe Wah Jack. (not so coincidently that is the pronunciation of the Michigan town where the Round Oak Stove Company was located - Dowagiac.)

According to Indian lore, Doe Wah Jack was named by chief Pokagon. Doe Wah Jack had gone out fishing, having learned the skill by the old chief.

When Doe Wah Jack returned to his village with enough fish to feed the hungry tribe, chief Pokagon called out to the young brave that he would now be called, Doe Wah Jack - “he who catches many fishes.”

P.D. Beckwith honored the Indian heritage of the Dowagiac Michigan area by using Doe Wah Jack and local Indian lore and images as primary elements of the stove company’s marketing campaign.

Below are excerpts from Round Oak Catalogs written in the early part of the 1900’s.

“No other stove has ever equaled the Round Oak in burning any kind of fuel, both wood or coal with economy, success and satisfaction to the user.”

“The phenomenal success of the Round Oak Stove is due entirely to its faultless design of construction, perfect workmanship in fitting and high quality of material used.”

“Insist upon seeing the name Round Oak on the leg of the stove and you will get what you expect and pay for - a perfect heating stove.”

Click here to see more Round Oak Antique Catalog pages and quotes.

Contemporary Round Oak Publications

There are at least two books written about Round Oak Stoves. The one below is from the Southwestern Michigan College Museum.

Click here to go to their site

This book, is a history of Round Oak by Leland M. Haines.

To order a copy send your name and address along with a $17.50 check made out to Round Oak Company at the address below.

Round Oak Company
63100 County Road 111
Goshen, IN 46526
574-875-8007

ROUND OAK ANTIQUE TRADE CARDS

Stove companies used a wide variety of means to market their heating stoves and kitchen ranges. Trade cards, catalogs, calendars, rulers, ash trays, matches, hat pins, thimbles, pocket mirrors, puzzles are all examples of ephemera used to market the stove companies’ products.

The more entertainment value the marketing tool could garner, the better. Some companies wrote short stories and poems to sell their stoves, other companies wrote sheet music to promote their product.

Following are two examples of Round Oak trade cards. Move cursor over the card to view the back side.

VINTAGE ROUND OAK ADVERTISEMENTS

Advertisements like the two below were found in the magazines of the day including the Saturday Evening Post, Lady’s Home Journal and Country Gentlemen.

The local hardware store was a popular place to go and purchase your Round Oak Stove. The price of the handsomely crafted and superior heater? Less than a hundred dollars. Some were even less than $20.00.

Click on ad for larger image

ROUND OAK HISTORY

The Round Oak stove was first manufactured in the early 1860’s. The stove was first sold in 1872 and it wasn’t long before The Round Oak Stove Company put the city of Dowagiac, Michigan on the map.

The factory in Dowagiac, Michigan employed over 50% of the male population in town.During the nearly eighty years the company was in business it sold over five million stoves nationwide.

The Round Oak stove company survived both the Great Depression and World War II before closing its doors in 1947.

Today the complex of Round Oak buildings in Dowagiac, Michigan house the Ameriwood Furniture Company. Several local companies in the Dowagiac area came about because of the Round Oak Stove Company including: Rudy Manufacturing, Premier Furnace Company, Dowagiac Steel Furnace and Dowagiac Manufacturing.

FOUNDER P. D. BECKWITH

The story goes that P.D. Beckwith started out in the stove manufacturing business by building himself a heating stove because he didn’t have the money to buy one. He originally made his Round Oak stoves for railroad waiting rooms.

It didn’t take long for passengers to admire the handsome stove and appreciate the efficient heat and soon folks were inquiring how they could purchase a Round Oak stove for their homes.

P.D. Beckwith gave the stove its named because a good-sized chunk of oak could fit into the stove without splitting.

Oak trees are handsome, stately trees and that is an image that he wanted associated with his stove.

P.D. Beckwith gave the stove its named because a good-sized chunk of oak could fit into the stove without splitting. Oak trees are handsome, stately trees and that is an image that he wanted associated with his stove.

We hope you have enjoyed our Round Oak Stove section.

There are plenty of other informative and fun sections to check out, so we hope you’ll make yourself at home here at the Good Time Stove Company.

My beautiful daughter will be delighted to assist you in any way.

Sara, the stove princess

Thanks for visiting!

Hope to see you again soon.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Tin Man of Goshen Meets Zippy the Pinhead

It was a fall day and the Tin Man of Goshen was enjoying watching the New England fall foliage change colors. This is when a strange looking fellow showed up and introduced himself.

“My name is Zippy the Pinhead and my creator is Bill Griffith. He has me on an tour in search of landmarks. And you?” He asked.

zippy the pin head

“My name is the Tin Man of Goshen,” the Tin Man replied. “I was created by Donald Affhauser and George Duensser in 1957. I now reside at the Good Time Stove Company as a mascot, of sorts, a landmark.”

zippy the pin head

“I can’t help but notice you have a heart. What’s that all about?”

zippy the pin head

Learn more about the travels of Zippy the Pinhead and his creator Bill Griffith online at http://www.zippythepinhead.com/

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Learn About Antique Stoves with Educational Videos

We are proud to introduce a new and exciting elements to our web site: educational video clips.

Video clips are identified with click-able icons. An example is seen below.

Throughout the www.goodtimestove.com web site, we have incorporated educational video clips to help you become better acquainted with the antique stove and the antique stove industry. These informative clips provide historical information about every type of stove that was manufactured (heating stoves and kitchen stoves alike), an introduction to the features and function of the stoves and highlights a collection stoves from our inventory.

We explore the history of the antique stove industry and how the stove was used at the in the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, there are clips to help you get to know the Good Time Stove Company family and staff in more depth, clips to that show how we restore and ship our stoves, and guidance about how to select the right antique stove for you and your home.

These videos clips was written and produced by Good Time Stove Company in conjunction with Del Padre Visual Productions from East Longmeadow, MA more than 10 years ago as part of a full-length, 1-hour video.

The video is available for purchase for $24.95 (shipping and handling included). Click Here to Order Video

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Stove Black’s Tall Tales

STOVE BLACK’S TALL TALES

TENDER AND TRUE TALES ABOUT RICHARD RICHARDSON’S BELOVED ANTIQUE HEATING STOVES AND VINTAGE KITCHEN RANGES

“For most of my life I have enjoyed hearing stories and sharing stories. I love to tell a good story, and have shared a lot of them over the last four decades. Funny stories, sentimental stories, far fetched stories, true stories, all kinds of stories. And we have a bunch of them right here for you to enjoy. We hope you’ll sit back and take a peek at Stove Black’s Tall, Tender, and True Tales. Some, as you will see, are a lot taller than others. Happy reading!” ~ Stove Black Richardson

Good Time Stove Company has assembled these stories in one collection called Stove Black’s Tall Tales.You will be able to identify these stories easily when viewing our inventory. Stove Black’s Tall Tales are identified with this click-able icon:

Some stories are true others less so, can you tell the difference?

Wood Cook Stoves

Gas Cook Stoves

Cylinder Stoves & Base Burner Stoves

Potbelly Stoves

Parlor Stoves

Franklin Fireplace Stoves

Box Stoves

Column Stoves

4′Oclock Stoves

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Antique Letter Heads

Good Time Stove Company has a huge archive of stove related literature, ephemera and paraphernalia. My father has assembled an amazing collection of antique stove letterheads.

These elaborate drawings depict factories and foundries where stoves were produced by the tens of thousands. Skilled artists drew factories, portraits of the founders, logos and illustrations of the stoves with perfect accuracy, size and detail down to the minutest detail. These drawing were incorporated into letterheads, billheads, catalogs and trade cards to promote the industry.

We are sure you will be taken with the breadth and depth of this collection. We are always looking to expand our archive and invite any comments or contributions you might be able to make to this collection.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE