Genuine Fisher?

[Fishtank]

Hello, new to the forum and been a fan of Fisher stoves for many years. We are building cabins on our property and collecting small wood stoves to heat them, searching specifically for Baby Bears. During our search I came across this one but it doesn't seem to match any other door I've seen, I've even searched through 40+ pages on this forum gleaning knowledge from the great guru Coaly.

Can anyone provide info or insight into whether or not this may be a very early Fisher or an imitation?

It does have a 3-piece top and 4 spoke knobs, but I'm confused by the lack of "Patent Pending" or trees on the door.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

[MongoMongoson]

I remember reading that the earliest stoves had no trees on the door, but they had problems with the doors cracking (or warping, I forget). The trees were added not just for decoration but to give the door some more body. The oldest stoves also had pipe caps as air control knobs rather than the 4-flange knobs. Again, trying to remember from the book... The 4-flange knobs started to ship on stoves but were also an option existing owners could buy and retrofit.

I have never seen one that says "FISHER-STOVE" on the door. It seems like a knock-off kind of thing, but I don't know. I'm interested to see what others have to say about this.

What is that in the center of the door next to the handle?

 

[ChillyB]

Of all the things to counterfeit I would doubt anyone would build casting equipment to seize the lucrative $200 used Fisher wood stove market. I dont know what that thing is in the middle of the door but if the stove works I wouldnt worry much about who made it, and I will guess its a real Fisher but with something added to the middle of the door.

 

[coaly]

All the doors I’ve seen before trees were added also had Springfield Oregon on them. Perhaps the first Canadian fabricator had them cast without the town name? Much later more foundries were casting doors for them. The early doors all came from Oregon as far as I know.

Stranger still is the bent handle and newer air dampers that weren’t invented until later. Only homemade pipe caps were used on the flat plain doors. Someone would have replaced the original pipe caps with the later 4 fin caps if this door is a very early one.

The 1/2 handle rod was very short on the flat doors with chrome ball handle. The handles became longer over the years (for springs) until much later when they were bent near the end to face forward.

There were a very few double doors cast after 76 with Fisher Stoves across them instead of just Fisher as normal, which is still unexplained.

Does the bulge serve a purpose, or is it a logo that was added to the pattern for this Canadian fabricator?

 

[Fishtank]

All the doors I’ve seen before trees were added also had Springfield Oregon on them. Perhaps the first Canadian fabricator had them cast without the town name? Much later more foundries were casting doors for them. The early doors all came from Oregon as far as I know.

Stranger still is the bent handle and newer air dampers that weren’t invented until later. Only homemade pipe caps were used on the flat plain doors. Someone would have replaced the original pipe caps with the later 4 fin caps if this door is a very early one.

The 1/2 handle rod was very short on the flat doors with chrome ball handle. The handles became longer over the years (for springs) until much later when they were bent near the end to face forward.

There were a very few double doors cast after 76 with Fisher Stoves across them instead of just Fisher as normal, which is still unexplained.

Does the bulge serve a purpose, or is it a logo that was added to the pattern for this Canadian fabricator?

Thanks very much for your reply Coaly, glad that I'm on the right track with my thinking, you've confirmed pretty much where I'm at with it. I'm hoping to get a picture of the inside of the door to check for cast letters and see if there's a tag under the left rear leg. I'm definitely thinking an early Mama Bear though..?

I'm not sure what the Canadian side of the manufacturing was like but didn't think it would be much different.

I will post more pictures when I can get them, for $360 I think it's not bad.

 

[Fishtank]

Here is more for the mystery...

The odd 'thing' in the middle of the door appears to be a beaver with a log.

The handle looks to have no hole for a knob to thread into so that would mean it should have a spring handle.

No markings or tags under the left rear leg.

 

[coaly]

If any marking it would be in weld on the bottom.
The stove itself looks correct for a Mama Bear.
The only thing not done to the original drawing is the leg taper. Not all fabricators angled the leg bottoms as shown in drawing. The early Stoves normally had chrome ball adjustable feet too.

 

[Fishtank]

I'll have a look on the bottom for a welded marking when I get a chance.

Would you guess a specific Canadian production Coaly based on the door? You guys picked a bald eagle and we chose a large aquatic, tree eating rodent.

 

[coaly]

I guess we can call that “The Beaver Door”.

 

[clancey]

lol Beavers are cut and they eat with food on their bellies..lol..clancey

 

[Fishtank]

lol Beavers are cut and they eat with food on their bellies..lol..clancey

You may be thinking of otters Clancey, beavers aren't exactly cute but close.

 

[Frankdozer]

All these animals are cute

 

[chev502]

I remember reading that the earliest stoves had no trees on the door, but they had problems with the doors cracking (or warping, I forget). The trees were added not just for decoration but to give the door some more body. The oldest stoves also had pipe caps as air control knobs rather than the 4-flange knobs. Again, trying to remember from the book... The 4-flange knobs started to ship on stoves but were also an option existing owners could buy and retrofit.

I have never seen one that says "FISHER-STOVE" on the door. It seems like a knock-off kind of thing, but I don't know. I'm interested to see what others have to say about this.

What is that in the center of the door next to the handle?

new to the forum...hi! , just peeked my interest. I have not heard anyone mention the pipe cap air control knobs before. Got it from my dad a time ago, Works awesome! he had said talked to them directly trying to get the stove early on for some time when they came out. I think it is one of the early ones? Not sure but Does not really matter, he used it, taught me to use it, i now thought my children how to use it. hopefully i will live on! But would like to learn more of the time period and any other info anyone can tell me about it. Thanks!

 

[coaly]

new to the forum...hi! , just peeked my interest. I have not heard anyone mention the pipe cap air control knobs before. Got it from my dad a time ago, Works awesome! he had said talked to them directly trying to get the stove early on for some time when they came out. I think it is one of the early ones? Not sure but Does not really matter, he used it, taught me to use it, i now thought my children how to use it. hopefully i will live on! But would like to learn more of the time period and any other info anyone can tell me about it. Thanks!

These were the first air dampers made by drilling a hole in a 2 inch pipe cap and plug welding a 1/2 bolt to the cap.

Bob Fisher’s dad, Baxter designed a cap with fins to be able to use your foot to adjust without burning your hand or wearing gloves. He called it the EZ-Spin. Baxter patented his invention and they were sold to fabricators licenses to build the stoves as well as others. He set the price at 3.50 and Bob was not happy since he knew fabricators could make their own cheaper. Bob soon came out with his own 5 fin design made of aluminum you see on most stoves.

These early stoves were all on the West coast where the early fabricators were. As territorial licenses were sold across the US and Canada, improvements and changes took place allowing close dating of the stoves during development. I have dated advertisements, brochures, some internal paperwork and revised drawings showing the changes being made.

Stoves built during the period of pipe caps had a chrome ball handle, a short handle lever, and early doors with no trees, or trees with patent pending. Fabricators used up old stock parts and a box of old parts could be found later mixing older styles with new. So dating a stove uses many factors other than just a damper or handle knob or spring type.

The handle on your stove is quite long, and the door is not a very early one. This handle and what looks like a chrome knob, (or stainless steel tightly wound spring handle not fully shown in pic) would be common parts during 1976. The picture is very limited, but I will guess it has a bent one piece top. Other details such as leg angle cuts, brick retainers, and feet help date and confirm where it was made.

The Everything Fisher thread in the sticky section is the place to start to find more details about the few things I mentioned. Then the Bear Series stove details thread for details of the single door stoves.

Using the search feature at top you will find a entire thread devoted to air dampers picturing the different caps and materials used, different finishing and buffing techniques and plating of later dampers.