I have an old Vale Oak “pot belly” (really has vertical sides and is wider at the bottom) stove. It has a cast iron base and shaker grate with ash pan/door. I haven’t used in 15 or more years. It has been stored in a dry basement. It has a crack in the cast iron base which didn’t cause any problems when I fired it up a few times in the past.
I don’t know beans about the value of the stove, but I really appreciate old things, and the preservation of them. The only comment I have to offer is that it is possible to apply a weld repair to cast iron...if the job is entrusted to a skilled craftsman. There are folks who repair/restore old cast iron toys, like those made by Arcade. Of course, this wouldn’t come free (unless your brother or somebody happens to know how to do that), and the cost of the restoration would certainly have to be weighed against the value (be it sentimental or monetary) of the restored piece. Rick
