What is this?

[mercyless1972]

I recently bought an antique wood cookstove and there was this piece in the oven. Can anyone tell me what this is? Thank you.

[waywardangler]

Appears to be a tool rest of sorts.  Not sure.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Just a guess here, but it might be for setting the lift-out cookstove burner plates on. I think it would make quite a handy tool rest. I'd suggest giving it a good scrubbing with soap and water, followed by white vinegar to remove the rust. Then oil it with olive oil to keep the rust away and you'll have a terrific, handy place to set your spatula and such as Wayward suggested. I think it's a neat piece!

[mart]

Without knowing how big it is it appears that it would hold a hot pot of some sort and perhaps the serving spoon, would remain in the pot and the handle would be supported by the cross piece?

[cogar]

It looks like it could be used to sit on top of the cooking surface but for what purpose I have no idea. Maybe for cooking something on a rod - like 3 at a time.

[waywardangler]

I think it is a multiuse item...in the 3rd pic, you would take your metal spoon and ding it around the triangle to call everyone to dinner.  Anyone remember Wagon Train?   

[talesofthesevenseas]

Picture this-

If you put an flat, circular iron cookstove burner into the lower circle, the curvy wire would keep the plate lifted at a slight angle so that it could be easily lifted up again, and the lower circle would form a wall which would prevent the hot, circular iron burner from slipping off. The larger circle over the top would work like a basket handle if you wanted to pick it up and move it, and the footed triangle at the bottom keeps the hot burner off the counter.

Try putting an iron burner into the lower circle and see if it fits as described above!

[waywardangler]

Sounds reasonable.  I do not have any experience with a wood cookstove.  Why would you do all of the above?  Just wondering why take a burner off and why would you move it to a counter?

[talesofthesevenseas]

The burners lift out. I think that is so that you can stoke the fire directly under it, but I am not sure. It may be just for cleaning. It would make sense to have a place to cool the burner down before you cleaned it.

The burner plates have square holes in them and are lifted out with these little handles called "stove lid lifters".

[talesofthesevenseas]

Here's a pic of how a stove lid lifter was used. This is just a guess, but it makes sense that when you lifted out a hot lid, you could set it into a device like the one posted. I tried searching for stove lid trivets, but no luck finding anything like this so far.

[mart]

I would clean the item well and look for a name or patent date. Could also look for the stove name and see if it came with it when purchased.

[mariok54]

The burners lift out. I think that is so that you can stoke the fire directly under it, but I am not sure. It may be just for cleaning. It would make sense to have a place to cool the burner down before you cleaned it.

The burner plates have square holes in them and are lifted out with these little handles called "stove lid lifters".

This is exactly what we need for our old one ... I hadn't realised you could get specially designed ones, we've been making do with an old tent peg  +

Just done a quick ebay search, plenty on offer but all on your side of the pond, with the postage being as much or more than the item ...    Will devote more time after work.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Here is a pair on the Ebay UK site:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-Vintage-Iron-Coal-Stove-LID-HANDLES-LIFTERS-Thingys-/300515671169?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f8213c81

[talesofthesevenseas]

Well, as it turns out, those little lifters have become collectors items. Here's a guide to collecting them:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Collecting-and-Purchasing-Antique-Stove-Lid-Lifters_W0QQugidZ10000000002238041

[cogar]

The round thingys in a wood/coal burning stove are called “stove lids” and the handled thingys are called “stove lid lifters”.  The reason the stove lids are round is so they can’t fall through the hole in the stove. Stoves were made with 1, 2, 4 or 6 stove lids depending on the size of the top surface.

The reasons a stove was made with “lids” are: 1). to add fuel or dispose of trash/garbage. 2). the casting process, for cleaning and/or to reduce the weight of the stove when moving it, and 3). for removal when cooking or heating …… which I’ll explain by the following 2 pictures and a url link: 

The 1st pic is of a cast iron griddle and if you ever wondered why it was made in that shape then look at the 2nd pic of the stove top. If you remove the 2 stove lids on the left side and the spacer between them ….. that griddle will sit right down in the opening (that is iffen it’s the right size).

And if you click on that url you will see a cast iron tea kettle with a “raised ring” around the bottom of it which is probably 3/8” high and ¼” wide. And like the griddle, if you remove 1 of those stove lids that tea kettle will sit right down in the opening (that is iffen it’s the right size).


griddle



cookstove


Tea kettle
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-CAST-IRON-TEA-POT-KETTLE-LID-6-/300515960761?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f825a7b9