These days the antique wood burning stoves are witnessing a revival in popularity among the vast majority of American consumers. Antique wood stoves come in several diverse types such as Box, Cylinder, Parlor and Potbelly. A Potbelly stove is a type of wood burning stove which is constructed from cast iron. They are easily distinguished from other antique wood burning stoves by their barrel shaped body which bulges slightly in the middle. That bulge seems to be the likely reason for using the name Potbelly. Compared to other types of wood burning stoves they are a bit smaller and much shorter.
In the earlier days of their creation they were often used for heating railroad stations, school houses and general stores. As their popularity grows they began being used to warm the American homes also. The wood used for fuel is readily available and so these stoves provided a very economical and efficient method of keeping large rooms warm. The potbelly stoves have been a part of American tradition fro many years and more then likely will continue to be a mainstream of Americana design. These stoves represent the earlier design versions prior to the wood burning stoves.
The potbelly stove has a small door mounted on the front of the unit which is used for supplying wood for burning as well as a means for cleaning the ash from the bottom of the stove. A potbelly usually has a mushroom shaped top to it and often comes with fancy claw feet although a few have been built using a simple block base. If you wish to purchase a potbelly stove there are several major categories from which you can select from. You have your choice of either purchasing a genuine antique potbelly or of buying one of the new replica potbelly stove currently being manufacturer. The antique ones are much heavier then the newer ones and the cost are generally higher since they are often considered to be an antique. Some of these antique stoves are actually over one hundred years old and still in e3xcellent working order. If maintained properly and cleaned regularly the stoves will continue to function as they were designed to do for a very long time.
The potbellies have become the choice for many people due to a vast array of reasons. They are ideal for old remodeled homes, old fashioned or Victorian houses, hotels with some sort of historical theme as well as for museums. They are a highly ornamented item and quite stylish making them the ideal piece of furniture for decorating your home.