WOOD-BURNING STOVES

Remedying the inefficiency of open fires was a mission that took nearly 500 years to perfect. In 1557, the first wood-burning stove was patented in Strasbourg. Crafted from wrought iron, it was extremely expensive and therefore unfeasible as a mass-market option. The following 300 years brought some of the coldest winters since records began. Later known as the Little Ice Age, it fuelled the need for efficient, widely available heating methods.

In 1763, Frederick II of Prussia held a competition to find the most efficient wood-burning stove, which was won by Johann Paul Baumer’s Berlin tiled design. His stove controlled the air intake and efficiency of the burn. Further refinements continued across Europe, slowly improving the efficiency of the designs. Across the pond, the most notable innovation was founding father Benjamin Franklin’s 1742 metal stove. Open fronted and designed to improve airflow, the Franklin stove was enduringly popular, but only after alterations by other designers, including David Rittenhouse.

While developments continued, it wasn’t until 1976 that a stove like those in our homes today was created. Designed by Canadian Wolfgang Schroeter in his garage, the first cast-iron framed stove was made for his father. It featured a glass door (cleaned with an air-wash system) so he could watch the flames dancing.