Union Stove Works....

CDLaine

Member
I thought there might be one or two interested ....

A recent purchase on Ebay ($5.99 + ship) . This is a lid lifter / ash shaker poured in the Union Stove Works Foundry , Peekskill, N.Y.. (I believe the markings indicate March, 1904). The piece has good heft, is 11 inches in length, sports a "keystone" cut out hanging portal , and, I was drawn to the almost plumbers faucet handle look of the lifter end.

Preliminary research on the foundry shows "est. 1834", (from a "Brooklyn Eagle" advertisement), (dated OCT 1911) displaying their top of the line "Astor" line.(yes , probably named for famous millionaire J.J.Astor of Waldorf-Astoria/Titanic (later) fame). The foundry was a major player in the cast iron stove industry during the glory years 1850-1900..7 foundry's in Peekskill were responsible for cranking out as many as 200K stoves a year by 1890 (Peekskill Historical Society), shipping worldwide.

This will be a nice match for my "Geneva" flat top cook stove from the same era. Raised lettering indicates.. Union Stove Works... 29 U.C.A. 3 04. I am still attempting to track the 29 U.C.A. indicator...possibly a Union local ???

Man, I really enjoy the history. Still divided on clean up or leave it au natural.

Charles
http://imgur.com/a/uuy49

---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 AM ----------

...with apologies to patina purists....

My bride requested I "clean it up" ..."you never know where that has been !".

I will now season the piece with Crisco and heat....btw, the removal of oxidation revealed a tiny "4" imprint on the belly , near the working end.

Charles
http://imgur.com/a/kwqNF
 
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I agree Mike... I was pleasantly surprised based on the condition on purchase.

Good bones under the crud.

Charles
 
Charles, thank you for sharing both the history and your clean-up job with us! If this item is to "go with" your stove, I think you made a lucky find. Congrats.! (PS: I have to agree with your wife, clean-up was the best idea, but really that was more cruddy than patinaed in my oh so humble opinion!)
 
I agree... a lucky find , surprised I was the only bidder.

Sharon, the flat top cookstove re-condition is proceeding nicely.... slow going,
frequent breaks.... hoping enthusiasm for the project doesn't run out before
the work does ! :chuckle: I will do the "reveal" here along with additional history
I have sourced via research (hint: may have earlier born on dating than I suspected).
Hoping the moderators tolerate this less than the norm cast iron cookware discussed
on the forum.

Charles
 
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