What to do with Fisher Grandpa Bear in new house

[dirtcandy]

Hello,

I hope this is the right place to ask for some advice. I recently bought a home in North Carolina that has a Fisher Grandpa Bear stove in the basement. Apparently the previous owner was a cabinet maker and burned offcuts in the stove to heat the whole house.

I'm not a cabinet maker and don't plan to use the stove, so I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. I'm not sure how good of a condition it is in, or how to go about pricing and selling it if that's possible, Any advice from the experts here? Photos attached.

 

[begreen]

Cleaned up and with a good fresh coat of paint, the stove should sell quickly.

Note that it is incorrectly installed with the galvanized reducer in place.

 

[coaly]

I think that’s a stainless reducer.

 

[begreen]

I think that’s a stainless reducer.

I suppose it could be, but the stove is designed with a larger vent for a reason, especially with the wide open doors. What would you place the value of this stove if cleaned up?

 

[Frankdozer]

Nice looking stove. I’d say list it for $400 as is and see what happens. Buyer moves it. With heating season starting soon, you might time it just right.

 

[bholler]

Nice looking stove. I’d say list it for $400 as is and see what happens. Buyer moves it. With heating season starting soon, you might time it just right.

That's what I usually recommend as well.

 

[begreen]

Waiting to hear from @coaly. Some of these stoves are selling north of $2000.

(broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/384324525642?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=384324525642&targetid=4580496732614411&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418233788&mkgroupid=1230353745471221&rlsatarget=pla-4580496732614411&abcId=9300542&merchantid=51291&msclkid=be17198634a718fb0a7578a32c0462c8)

 

[bholler]

Waiting to hear from Coaly. Some of these stoves are selling north of $2000.
(broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/384324525642?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=384324525642&targetid=4580496732614411&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418233788&mkgroupid=1230353745471221&rlsatarget=pla-4580496732614411&abcId=9300542&merchantid=51291&msclkid=be17198634a718fb0a7578a32c0462c8)

Well are they selling for that or is that just what some people are asking? I mean I have seen old Franklin stoves listed for $1000

 

[begreen]

Yes, it's hyperbolic, but the demand for one in good condition is high. That's why I would like to hear from @coaly who is very familiar with this market.

 

[Frankdozer]

Here in Maine I’m seeing them from $279 to $1050. And they sit there for months thru winter on end. I have listed a really nice Glacier Bay wood stove for $350 for 3 months now. I should ask $1500 and get the same results. LOL

 

[begreen]

Yes, location and timing have a lot to do with success. Sept.-Nov. is the time to sell. I personally have no interest in getting a 70's stove, but to a collector, a completely intact, good condition model can be more desirable. Original model Resolutes and F118s sell for much more than original price if they are in excellent condition.

 

[bholler]

Yes, location and timing have a lot to do with success. Sept.-Nov. is the time to sell. I personally have no interest in getting a 70's stove, but to a collector, a completely intact, good condition model can be more desirable. Original model Resolutes and F118s sell for much more than original price if they are in excellent condition.

Yes I agree with that completely. But finding one of those in complete and good condition is much harder than finding a fisher in good condition. There are just so many of them out there.

 

[clancey]

It does not have the pretty feet like the other one has in the e-bay picture--gold claw ones so pretty..I have a question about these double door fisher stoves: I see the two handles on the stove but what are those round looking type of handles--what do they do? Also some of these stoves have the pipe vent on top and some others have the vent in the back--are these a different type of stove? I love those old stoves and I bet I had one if I ever lived a past life. They look like awesome machines for heating very large houses and I bet they keep the heat too with that cast iron thickness...Shame that bh has the wrong attitude about them for he thinks that there are better ones on the market today and likes updated stuff..lol ,, I just bet that he never had one....lol clancey

 

[coaly]

Prices are all over the place.
You have people that don’t know what they are and compare to new stove prices, others that have seen them sell on eBay for ridiculous prices and think that’s a normal price for one, and others that do no research and sell for scrap prices.

To a collector, a ‘76 Grandpa in good condition, with screen, should be worth $500, but I’ve seen the average price sell closer to $800. For a user, the first doors with round seal are not near as good, they have no baffle, and of course are not UL Listed. So for use they should only be worth a couple hundred, the lowest value Fisher being sold. The single doors “should” sell for much more, and Glass or newer UL Listed stoves with tags should draw a premium. But many have the idea that the first double doors are the most desirable.
I refrain from putting a price on any Fisher since the season, area, condition and rarity varies so much.
Paint it, add $100. Paint the trees silver add $200. Go figure.

 

[begreen]

Thanks Coaly, that's a nice assessment. I see only one Fisher, a Papa Bear, for sale in the Durham area, so this one would go unchallenged. If it were me, I'd spend a weekend fixing it up, repaint, (including the silver trees), and ask around $800. That is if they were legal to see here, which they are not in WA state.

 

[bholler]

It does not have the pretty feet like the other one has in the e-bay picture--gold claw ones so pretty..I have a question about these double door fisher stoves: I see the two handles on the stove but what are those round looking type of handles--what do they do? Also some of these stoves have the pipe vent on top and some others have the vent in the back--are these a different type of stove? I love those old stoves and I bet I had one if I ever lived a past life. They look like awesome machines for heating very large houses and I bet they keep the heat too with that cast iron thickness...Shame that bh has the wrong attitude about them for he thinks that there are better ones on the market today and likes updated stuff..lol ,, I just bet that he never had one....lol clancey

To the contrary I have burnt 3 different fisher stoves still use one occasionally in an out building. They put out lots of BTUs yes. They also burn through massive amounts of wood to do that.

The round things on the door are the air controls. Top vent side vent back vent etc were just options of the same stove.

They are also plate steel stoves with cast doors. Just the same as most modern stoves.

So now that you know I have burnt a few fishers as well as quite a few other stoves and that is what I am basing my evaluation on. Can you tell us what you are basing your upon?

 

[coaly]

It does not have the pretty feet like the other one has in the e-bay picture--gold claw ones so pretty..I have a question about these double door fisher stoves: I see the two handles on the stove but what are those round looking type of handles--what do they do? Also some of these stoves have the pipe vent on top and some others have the vent in the back--are these a different type of stove? I love those old stoves and I bet I had one if I ever lived a past life. They look like awesome machines for heating very large houses and I bet they keep the heat too with that cast iron thickness...Shame that bh has the wrong attitude about them for he thinks that there are better ones on the market today and likes updated stuff..lol ,, I just bet that he never had one....lol clancey

The right door handle rotates to open, the left door handle is solid and does not rotate. You close the left door first, then the right closes over top of it pulling them both closed tight as handle is rotated. On the ends of the round handle rod were chrome balls on the very first stoves. They were soon discontinued for a tightly wound stainless steel spring. Later springs are spring steel with brass or nickel plate. Air gets between the coils keeping them cool to the touch.

The round knobs are air intakes called air dampers. Bob’s father Baxter Fisher designed and patented the first one. On an antique stove they are known as a Bell damper since they resemble a bell shape.

The chrome ball feet were the first for leveling on uneven hearth stones or bricks. Later the cast bear feet were an accessory that came with washers to stack inside the foot to level the stove to prevent it from rocking. They only work correctly with the older stoves with angle iron corners.

The first single door, long narrow stoves, were made with a side vent to set the stove across the front of a fireplace. This way they take up less room and require less hearth extending into the room. A rear vent is for getting the pipe under mantle when using an existing fireplace chimney, or going sideways through a wall and up the outside of a building with a metal chimney.
A top vent is designed for a straight up installation. Going out the back and up causes clearance issues with the pipe to wall, and pushes the stove out into the room away from wall farther than necessary. So the first thing buying a stove is sizing the exhaust to the chimney. Next is sizing the stove for the area heated, and finally pipe and outlet configuration to make the installation correct.

bh DOES have a Grandma that he heats his garage with, since you can get so much heat out of one quickly, but knows they are not near as efficient for in your home.

 

[clancey]

Wow what wonderful information---thank you---yea I am sure I had one in a past life--if there is such a thing...Thanks for the info everyone and so glad that bh has one...He needs more...clancey lol

 

[coaly]

Wow what wonderful information---thank you---yea I am sure I had one in a past life--if there is such a thing...Thanks for the info everyone and so glad that bh has one...He needs more...clancey lol

One Fisher is enough to feed LOL

 

[clancey]

Your darn right ...clancey

 

[dirtcandy]

Wow, somehow I didn't see any of the replies after Aug 23rd until now. Thanks for all the great info and advice!

Cleaned up and with a good fresh coat of paint, the stove should sell quickly.

Note that it is incorrectly installed with the galvanized reducer in place.

Cleaning it up is an appealing project since I have the time and space. I see bits of advice on how to do a restoration in a few different threads, but if there is a complete guide somewhere that I'm missing please let me know.

 

[coaly]

Wow, somehow I didn't see any of the replies after Aug 23rd until now. Thanks for all the great info and advice!



Cleaning it up is an appealing project since I have the time and space. I see bits of advice on how to do a restoration in a few different threads, but if there is a complete guide somewhere that I'm missing please let me know.

No complete guide, but quite simple.

Wire wheel any rust.
Wire wheel door seal rod and back of doors where they contact door seal rod.
If real bad, to prevent airborne rust dust, wet with kerosene or PB Blaster.
Wipe down with mineral spirits until clean.
Wipe with lacquer thinner before paint.
Paint with high temperature paint, and fire outdoors, or with windows open to cure paint.
Grease hinge pins. (Stove Bright Satin Black was original)
Grease air damper threads through back of door at air intake opening. (High temp grease or silver anti seize works well)
Check bricks. Cracks are ok, replace when pieces are missing.

Only takes a few hours if the rust is minimal.

Fastest one I did was pick up a Mama Bear in the morning an hour away in New Jersey. Unload to buff it outside with a commercial polisher with wire cup wheel. Wipe it down, paint. Fire outside. Eat lunch while it cooled a bit. Load it in my vehicle while still quite warm with gloves. Deliver to customer 1/2 hour away. Found out how much heat radiates off an almost hot/ warm to the touch stove. In the back of a Land Rover Discovery II, on a cool Fall day, I had to open all the windows to stay in it to drive. At the new owners home I had to get his old coal burner out of his basement, inside stairway, and take the Fisher in and connect. Load his old stove to take home to recondition for sale. It was a long day.

 

[clancey]

If I had excellent "muscle help" and a "driver" I would even tried to recondition one in the back yard after I check it out real good before attempting to bring it home...Your dedicated coaly but in my opinion "too old" to be doing any of that heavy work so just enjoy "your beautiful stove". the one you have at your beautiful home...you have hot water too wow...I like to know if that stove that dirtcandy is thinking about at one time had the "pretty bear feet" and maybe someone sold those feet if the stove had feet?...clancey

 

[coaly]

If I had excellent "muscle help" and a "driver" I would even tried to recondition one in the back yard after I check it out real good before attempting to bring it home...Your dedicated coaly but in my opinion "too old" to be doing any of that heavy work so just enjoy "your beautiful stove". the one you have at your beautiful home...you have hot water too wow...I like to know if that stove that dirtcandy is thinking about at one time had the "pretty bear feet" and maybe someone sold those feet if the stove had feet?...clancey

Too old to do that nonsense any more. Now I get a stove one day. Recondition it the next. And install it the next!

The ball feet in the photos were standard. They are a steel chrome plated ball. They are adjustable up and down for uneven brick or stone.
The bear paws were an accessory years later. They were 3.50 each and now regularly sell for 300 a set!

 

[clancey]

OMG---that's inflation...they are beautiful....clancey