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INVENTORY

KALAMAZOO Cottage Gem Heater

Text and illustrations are taken from 1908 Kalamazoo Catalog
Michigan Usa

It is a stove of extremely handsome design and strong, durable construction. It is manufactured and sold on the Kalamazoo plan, made in our own factory of the best procurablematerials, rigidly inspected, fully guaranteed and shipped directly to the user on 360 days approval at lowest factory prices. It is as nearly perfect as it is possible to make a stove of this kind. It has our $20,000 bank bond back of it.

We do not call this an "air tight" heater, although many manufacturers are selling stoves of similar construction under that name. We guarantee, however, that the Kalamazoo Gem is as nearly air tight as any stove of like construction can be made. It is economical in fuel, will take an extremely large stick of wood and will hold fire for many hours.

Design - The design is extremely pleasing, as will be noted from the illustration. The handsome Rococo pattern, the heavy carving and the pleasing patterns set off with beautiful nickel trimmings, all combine to make an extremely attractive and ornamental heater.

Workmanship and Material The Kalamazoo Gem is an all cast iron stove and, like all products from our factory, is made from the highest grade materials. Only the best selected pig iron is used in it's construction; the parts are perfectly fitted and carefully mounted and we fully guarantee it to be up to the well-known Kalamazoo standard in every way.

Main Body of the stove is made in the simpleset manner and without rods. The castings are bolted together and it will last a lifetime with ordinary care. The main back and front are cut in two pieces to prevent cracking by fire, and the lower section of the back is further protected by an inside lining.

Heavy Reinforced Bottom is mounted in one solid piece and is reinforced in such a manner that it is almost indestructable, is guaranteed against fire crack or warping.

The Fire Door is 9.5 x 16 inches in size; it swings to the right and it makes it possible to burn very large chunks, so that it is not necessary to cut the wood so small. The door being extra large, makes it easy to remove large ashes, and it is equipped with a large nickel grip turnkey which can be opened with a poker. A loose smoke door prevents the smoke from entering the room when putting in fuel.

The Mica Front is amply large so that the cheerful glow of the large burning wood fire is reflected in the room in which the stove stands. It is a very pleasant feature not usually found in wood stoves now on the market.

Heavy Nickel Footrail and name place cover the entire front base of the stove and adds greatly to its appearance and is found a great convenience in extremely cold weather, as it affords a place to rest the feet at a convenient height.

Heavy, Large Nickel Scew Draft Damper is valve seated and with it the fire can be easily controlled, as it makes an air tight joint. Inside is fitted a large spark arrester or guard, making it absolutely safe; there is no danger of sparks flying into the room.

Nickel Screw Draft Check Damper at the rear, located near the pipe collar, makes it possible to hold fire under absolute control and prevents creosoting in the pipe.

Main Top and lids are directly under the ornimental swing cover, the top surface is large and roomy, and we have made this high grade Kalamazoo Gem with two sever-inch griddle covers so that the stove can be used for cooking purposes if the occasion should arise.

The Swing Cover is extra large and is made of solid cast stove plate highly carved and ornimented with extremely pleasing in design and properly proportioned. It swings to the left so that the top surface may be utilized.

The Urn is made of strong metal bolted together in such a menner as to make it lasting and durrable; it is much better than the soft metal and spun brass urns used by other manufacturers.

The Swing Top is surmounted by a handsome nickeled urn of good weight and well plated. There is a removable lid beneath the swing top. The pipe collar is located just back of the swing cover in the main top. Beside the pipe collar is a check damper which aids in controlling the fire.

Nickeled Wings Handsome, heavily carved and nickel-plated wings flank the front of the stove on both sides, giving it the finished appearance of a much more expensive stove

Foot-rails Three heavily nickel-plated and handsomely carved foot-rails of graceful design are attached to the middle ring at the top of the fire-pot; they are so placed that the fire-pot is partially concealed.


The Popularity of the type of heaters known as "oak stoves" has increased every year of its use, and now after 34 years' test, it is more IS popular than ever. We make the Kalamazoo oak heaters in four styles, the "Brilliant Oak", the "Regal Oak" and the finest wrought "Hot Blast Oaks." The same general plan of construction is followed in all, the difference being in their finish and ornamentation and the hot blast feature.

MATERIALS - The Kalamazoo Oaks are made of the best procurable pig-iron, selected with great care by one of the best buyers of iron in the country. No scrap iron whatsoever was used in their construction. The steal used for the body is the best grade of heavy wood's refined homogenous wrought steel, highly finished. We give our broadest and strongest guarantee to the materials and workmanship of these stoves, and ask customers to compare them with others in order to appreciate the exceptional high value we give at our exceptional low prices.

AIR TIGHT JOINTS - The Joints are all air tight and the doors are ground to a perfect fit. The accompanying illustration shows the air tight joints of the sheet-steel body and the fire-pot. The body has a cup shaped flange which is fitted into a recessed cup on top of the fire-pot and is held in position by the outside fire-pot-lugs, thus securely fastening the sheet-steel body to the fire-pot, without the aid or necessity of rivets, which burn off, allowing the body to buckle, lose shape, and admit air around the top of the fire pot.

BASE - The base is broad and deep and beautifully carved. It gives ample room for large, heavily wired and bailed ash-pan, so placed as to receive all ashes. The ash-pit door joints are all ground to a perfect air tight fit, as is the screw draft damper which controls the admission of air under the grate, and gives perfect control of the fire.

GRATE - For coal we provide our patent center-cone and draw combination grate, acknowledged to be by far the best grate made for burning coal in an oak stove. (fig 24 & 25). For wood we give a draw-center shaking grate of the most approved pattern.

THE FIRE POT is of heavy corrugated cast iron, full sized and heavy enough to require no troublesome and expensive linings. It is fitted to the base in air tight pocket-joints. The scientific construction of the fire-pot and grate makes the "Kalamazoo" an exceedingly strong floor heater and has had much to do with its great popularity.

THE BODY is made of very heavy wood's cold rolled refined wrought steel of the best grade.

THE FEED-DOORS are large and admit the putting of a large stick of wood into the stove. They are provided with loose hinged smoke doors, which prevent smoke from entering the room when the feed door is opened. (fig 27) The feed-doors are fastened with extra heavy nickeled turnbuckles, so made that the doors can be opened and shut with a poker when too hot to be handled with the fingers.

A special feature of the Kalamazoo Oaks is the manner in which the steel is joined to the fire-door frame making the admission of air at this joint impossible. They are in fact as well as in name, airtight stoves. The combustion of fuel is under absolute control, which makes them the greatest of all fuel savers. A screw check-draft, fitted air tight in the feed-door of the Regal Oaks, aid in controlling the fire.

They are handsome stoves of perfect proportion. They are durable stoves, made of the best materials. They are economical stoves, the fittings being exact and perfect. In short, they are the best oak stoves in the world for the price.

Do not be influenced to buy an oak stove altogether by it's weight. Many things are more important, and the weight ought to be only where it is needed.Many oak stoves have heavy bottoms and bases as well as tops. Excessive weight is a drawback in these parts. The Kalamazoo Oaks have heavy corrugated fire-pots, also exceedingly strong and are well made throughout. Each stove bears our strong guarantee; our 360 days approval test applies to it and it will last many years if given ordinary care.

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