What to Do With My Herald Oak #15

Hi all, new to this forum, and I am interested in finding out anything I can about this parlor stove. We purchased it 12 years ago and had it refinished for around 400$. I am thinking of changing it out for something that does not go through so much fuel, last year it burned through almost 4 cords of wood!
Can anyone shed some light on what I have here and what it may be worth? It has 1891 stamped on the inside of the door, so I know it is pretty old. I have searched the web a bit but can't find this model.
Thanks for any help.

Welcome. Nice looking stove.

Do you know if it's able to burn coal ? That could make a big difference in how often you have to feed it, and how steadily it will put out heat.

Paul

I've got a Herald Oak No. 18. I will tell you, burning wood is the worst with this stove. It will do it in a pinch, but its made to run for 13-15 hours on coal with steady consistent heat. I used to burn wood through it every once in a while, what a waste. I got good at using the stove and can run it as low as I would want wood to run and with no smoke and no creosote. Also, what exactly does restored for $400.00 mean. I ask because I've restored antique cars for 20 years and you'd be amazed how many people call a motor rebuilt after cleaning and painting and putting new valve cover gaskets. Was the stove completely taken apart, and re-sealed correctly, do you have the pictures to verify that it was done. If not, you really don't know what was done to it. It definitely isn't efficient as a wood burner, but if there are sealing issues, it will be even worse. Run coal through it and never look back. I have a big old farmhouse, 4,000 sq ft. and it heats 2/3 easily. I have 13' high ceilings and a main room thats 1,800 sq. ft with 13' ceilings that are cathedral on top of it.

Your stove has a cast iron stove cylinder which is fairly rare. Most cylinders are rolled steel.

Thanks for the quick replies.
I am not sure if it can burn coal... I have never considered it. Always liked the ambiance of a wood fire. But it only burns for about three hours with the wood. I have a small house in MT and need something that will burn all night. A friend gave me a newer wood burner with all the bells and whistles... minus the cool antique effect.. that will burn fro 12+ hours on wood.
Maybe I would entertain the thought of keeping this one and trying coal, need to think on it a bit.
When it was refurbished all they did was replace a few bolts, re paint it, and re did all the nickel trim. It was not Re sealed though and is not anywhere close to airtight.
I am curious as to its worth as it stands.
It measures approximately 42" high and a 24" base.

Since it is not completely redone, whoever buys this is going to want to have that done. You won't get a lot for that considering that the buyer will have to pay a pro to go through it to make it coal ready. Also, as a veteran wood burner of 15 years...someone fabricating wood burning times...there is no way a stove will run at a burn rate of at least 350 for 12+ hours. I quit burning with wood because I got tired of the 4 hour heat cycle and then it dropping until I added wood. Do some research and find out if the stove is complete and has shaker grates that would allow coal burning.

I guarantee you that once you burn coal, you'll forget the slavery with wood. Your Herald Oak is a very good, efficient coal burner, that's what it was made for. These were able to burn wood in the spring and fall if you had the proper grate for wood. It's called a, Register Plate." A Register Plate is a flat cast iron disc with slits in to allow a limited amount of air. It fits over the coal grates and is easily lifted in and out. Your stove has to be properly restored however for it to function anywhere as it was designed to do. Once properly restored these stoves are easily controlled and virtually air tight.
Two questions, what does the grate look like inside and does the stove have a long pipe on the back that goes down to the base of the stove?
A fair price for a stove in this condition and missing the finial would be around $400. Missing parts, especially finials; are big deals.

Spot on William,

The finial is a big deal and makes the stove complete. If that was a base heater, that would be the perfect stove for his size house. My stove runs 13-15 hours at 475-500. It would run even more if the house was smaller and I could run a lower temp. I've had my Herald cruise along at 275 for a couple of days. This was my first stove and I think that the Herald is a super easy stove to run.

McGregor wrote:Thanks for the quick replies.
I am not sure if it can burn coal... I have never considered it. Always liked the ambiance of a wood fire. But it only burns for about three hours with the wood. I have a small house in MT and need something that will burn all night. A friend gave me a newer wood burner with all the bells and whistles... minus the cool antique effect.. that will burn fro 12+ hours on wood.
Maybe I would entertain the thought of keeping this one and trying coal, need to think on it a bit.
When it was refurbished all they did was replace a few bolts, re paint it, and re did all the nickel trim. It was not Re sealed though and is not anywhere close to airtight.
I am curious as to its worth as it stands.
It measures approximately 42" high and a 24" base.

If your not air tight forget it, I burn wood in my stove and get great results, however my stove is air tight, when I get a fire going I can close off the under fire air all the way and keep the over fire air open just a small amount, not even enough to fit a nickel in the open space. I get burns that burn hot and last for hours unattended.

My stove was built to burn Bit so maybe that's why, but a stove that leaks is uncontrollable and will waste fuel no matter what it is..

give it shot with coal. that'll slow it down a little. or sell, give it to friend, family, use for garage heat. yard sale it will go.

Thanks for the feedback. I live in MT. Any advice on where in the Northwest I can get it refurbished? I don't see anything that looks like the finials on mine... What are they?

McGregor wrote:Thanks for the feedback. I live in MT. Any advice on where in the Northwest I can get it refurbished? I don't see anything that looks like the finials on mine... What are they?

Take a look at the decretive piece on top of the stove in BPatrick's avatar. I'm guessing it's very much like that.

Paul