Rathbone & Sard Radiant Acorn No.38 Base Burner

chrisbuick · Post by **chrisbuick** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 1:35 pm

I haven't had anyone comment on the Radiant Acorn BB I'm thinking of getting. There must be someone out there with some thoughts/ideas?

Anyway - Here is a picture I located of a mint one. Just one view, unfortunately.

I'd love some constructive comments - Chris

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 1:52 pm

Chris

GET IT....... Don't wait, don't hesitate. You can always turn around and sell and make your money back if not more.

chrisbuick · Post by **chrisbuick** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 2:25 pm

OneDollar - Thanks, I'm going to try for it, but it's 6 hours from me, and the wife will KILL ME.

This is how my life has always been - when I look for things, I find them, and can't resist. But, I think this one is a no brainer.

Chris

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 2:30 pm

Chris

Base Heaters are one of those NO BRAINER things I think as long as the price and condition are good. You are not just buying a working stove you are buying a piece of history as well. I do hope the wife will come to understand as well!

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 3:52 pm

Base Heaters are one of those NO BRAINER things I think as long as the price and condition are good. You are not just buying a working stove you are buying a piece of history as well. I do hope the wife will come to understand as well!

The man is really sick, do not encourage him further as this is a really sad case. Stoveitis deserves a write up in Stedmans Medical Dictionary.........AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA... go for it, if the wife does not like it get another woman. There are more women around than old baseburners. Remember though like the Heisman Trophy, when the divorce judge comes to dividing the procedes you can't remember where they are.

Post by **franco b** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 4:55 pm

You will have to balance the price against condition and your ability to make repairs.

Many of these stoves will be beyond practical repair or are missing key parts.

Would help a lot if you had somebody with you who was not so besotted with old stoves and that could pull your head out of the clouds. When you really want something it is very easy to make light of faults that can turn into big problems.

chrisbuick · Post by **chrisbuick** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 5:11 pm

Franco B - Thanks for the very good advice, and you are absolutely correct. A couple of things however:

The stove has been apart and has already had the few cracks in it repaired (not sure how well).

The only parts missing (per the owner) are the little draft door in the base and some pieces of the finial.

Also, I figure for $500, it's probably a good bet, but maybe you guys will convince me to pass.

I've already gotten a number of stoves this winter, but am very pleased with them (mostly).

Thanks for the advice - Chris

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 5:38 pm

Oh Franco you are such a poop, however you are giving good advice. I searched long and hard for a premo stove and William always says get them from trustworthy dealers. This one is complete I believe other than the mica in the door. He is dreaming when it comes to pricing but perhaps a little hard bargaining might get you there. Do pay more for a better stove as in the end it is worth it. The world is full of estate sales of people who collected less than perfect things and did not restore them as that is the hard part. ADHD is a bitch.

**Broken Link(s) Removed**

Post by **franco b** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 6:27 pm

coalnewbie wrote: Do pay more for a better stove as in the end it is worth it.

I agree. The missing finial parts are serious and that draft door will have to be replaced to prevent air from bypassing the coal bed. If the crack repairs are in the fire pot or grates then I would have to figure they would need recasting. Double check the fit of the ash door and what it would take to fix if not perfect, and it has to be perfect to have satisfaction. I would consider $500 to be top price in that condition.

It's easy to give advice to someone else because too many times I have had second thoughts when the excitement of acquiring something has worn off and that repair I thought was easy turned out to be not so easy and that thing of beauty in my mind's eye now looks like the rust bucket it is. The professional restorers pass up more than they buy for a reason so just try to be as realistic as you can be.

chrisbuick · Post by **chrisbuick** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 6:52 pm

Now you guys have got me questioning this stove - which is good. Not sure what to do now - he's ready to meet me Saturday afternoon, but he does say he'll bring it to the secure location where we'll meet (I guess he's very security conscious). I don't like the thought of him moving it around a lot.

Plus, I've got to drive 6 hours to see it - bummer!

If $500 is top money in this condition, can anyone tell me a realistic value of this stove restored? The dealers have huge prices on these base burners, but they can get top dollar. If the No. 58 in Albany is overpriced at $1850, then it's hardly worth all the effort to restore this piece. I've been dealing in antiques since the 60's. The market for furniture has collapsed, with great things going begging - especially in northern New England, where I now live.

I thought base burners were hot properties right now?

Here are more pictures he sent me today:

Please keep sending me good analysis. The fever had gripped me!

Chris

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 6:59 pm

Thats going to be a lot of work and expense.

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 7:18 pm

The market for furniture has collapsed, with great things going begging - especially in northern new England, where I now live.

... and to add to this you are going to get it to the UK? That's OK if you own the shipping line. You are better off looking at old AGAs, besides there was no money in Northern UK before 2008. Take the ferry and get over to Germany, lots of neat stuff there that you can put in the back of your car and the best connections are on this board. Buy now so when the UK runs out of natural gas next month you will make a killing and as you know the North of England will still need heat. LOL.

http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News ... April.html

...stoves to die for, ask firebug.

http://www.antik-oha.de/de/oefen/

but note the US influence
http://www.antik-oha.de/de/oefen/14/

chrisbuick · Post by **chrisbuick** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 7:42 pm

Sorry - You misunderstood me. I live in northern NEW England - Not the north of England.

Chris

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 7:49 pm

Far be it for me to pop the bubble of a fellow lunatic but....

Not sure what to do now - he's ready to meet me Saturday afternoon, but he does say he'll bring it to the secure location where we'll meet (I guess he's very security conscious). I don't like the thought of him moving it around a lot.

Have you any idea what these things weigh and no they should be moved very carefully. This whole thing stinks - walk away.

Sorry - You misunderstood me. I live in northern NEW England - Not the north of England.

Ah, what's 3000 miles between friends.

Post by **franco b** » Mon. Mar. 25, 2013 7:56 pm

I don't think it is worth a 6 hour drive. Maybe $60 in gas.

The finial might as well not be there it is so bad. The dome it goes on has a hole in it that originally probably held a knob to move the dome. The magazine is also missing.

Good plating has to start with a smooth surface. Those parts are so pitted in places that the plater will have to charge a lot in extra preparation.

The fire pot looks to have a spot eroded through. Draft control is heavily corroded.

I think the missing door is probably a clean out door. Not so easy to fabricate right.

The height of the ash door looks too small to have a decent size ash pan if it even has one.

I would much rather spend $1,000 for a better example. For all the work and effort and money involved it will be very hard to bring it back to original or to look as good as the first picture you posted.

Rathbone & Sard Radiant Acorn No.38 Base Burner

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