Home, home on the range

[joatex]

To control the heat of the fire surely there would have been a series of cast iron covers in front of the fire basket and the ash bin. If this was so opening or closing one or two would have controlled the draught. From memory (1938) the cast iron plates folded from vertical to horizonal and could be removed entirely by lifting them from sockets on the side frames.

 

[Cloudscape]

A part from the two slots at the bottom of the grate, where I imagine an external pan/kettle support could have been added (?), there don't seem to be any fixings for doors. I did feel that the ash area seemed to be a bit of a big gaping hole, and I agree... some means of controlling the air intake would be worth trying.

 

[joatex]

More thoughts about draught control. Draught control allows the fire to be banked over night yet later give enough heat to cook scones. It is essentail that all the flues are swept clean to allow the oven reach it highest temperaure
Certainly the ash bin should stop air entry to the grate by closing the opening below the fire box and reaching just under the castiron ledge above which are the two slots.
I doubt that the slots are an opening for riddling the fire, rather since they are slightly recessed, they may have supported the cast iron cover(s) which would have reached the top of the grate bars and presented a flush front surface. Possibly a couple of right-angled projections inserted into the slots could allow the cast iron front to be lowered or adjusted to control the air entry and if to a horizontal position perhaps hold a small pot or kettle.

At the top (T) that area should have been covered with a cast iron plate to present a flat surface continuous with the H and P surfaces. It would have had circular rings as with the oven top. It was usual to lift out the rings and place a wire mesh over the open top ,cook the chops and allow the fat to feed the fire.

 

[Nemesis]

Our range didn't have such an arrangement. It had an open fire and was open under where the ash collected.

The small kitchener I have (it's a free standing range, with a flue pipe instead of being built in) has a continuous surface, It also has a door which only partly covers the firebox.

There were many, many different designs available.

 

[joatex]

Agree. copies of 'The Builder' circa 1880 should offer a pictures of various range types and hence show the finished product.

 

[Cloudscape]

This is the closest model I've found so far (Coalbrookdale 1869):

The one in the pic does have a hotplate over the firebox, and a tap on the water container. It looks as though the central flue has been blanked off? It makes me wonder if the range in the photo has a back boiler.

I notice, near top right, a sliding flue plate in the wall, just like mine. 8)

I also notice how similar the ash-retainer (fender?) is. Mine was apparently given to the previous owner, and looks to have come from a wider range.

Is it my eyes, or have the 'hinge' parts of the oven door been picked out in a lighter colour?

I've been reading bits and pieces about closed and open ranges, and it seems that both were available throughout the 19thC. Both had their advocates. Even as late as 1896, catalogues would offer closed and open variants of the same model. This one looks like it can be either open or closed.

I noticed the little iron trivet fitted on the front of this range. I was imagining something like this could have fitted into the two slots under the firebox on my range. Maybe?

 

[Penners]

Is it my eyes, or have the 'hinge' parts of the oven door been picked out in a lighter colour?

Possibly gold or silver. Victorian bling.

 

[Nemesis]

The hinges are steel, and would be highly polished - the cast iron blacked - the space under whitened - the hearth may have been donkeystoned -the brass fender polished - a woman's work etc!

The ash cover is a 'tidy betty'. I think the fender very fancy for a range though! That would depend where the range was - in many homes the kitchen was also the main living room. In larger houses the kitchen was a separate room entirely.

The hanging rail in our house was brass, and would have matched that sort of fender. I still have one taken from a neighbour's house when it was demolished, range, gas lighting and all.

We had a nursery fireguard, wire with brass top. The cat would sleep balanced on the top. My Christmas stocking would be hung from it too. Santa had no problems with unlined chimneys. No idea how he manages now.

I have a small cast trivet fitted to the hobgrate which simply clips on, you can at times pick them up in antique shops. It's possible yours fitted the slots.

I also have a wonderful late Geo (we think) 'automatic' muffin toaster which fits on the bars too. A very interesting bit of design!

I have a couple of books with pics of ranges somewhere...

 

[Cloudscape]

The hinges on the door of this one are part of the casting:

No bling for me then. But less to polish.