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May 1942. "Southington, Connecticut. Preparations for Ralph Hurlbut's family dinner." Photo by Fenno Jacobs, Office of War Information. View full size.
This combination gas/coal or wood stove would have had a water jacket (heat exchanger) in the firebox. This would heat the water by convection through pipes to the large, uninsulated water tank in the rear. This would be fine through colder months, when the stove was fired up for heating and cooking. During warm months, or when hot water was needed quickly, there is a gas "sidearm", the metal cylinder to the left of the water tank. This would be lit until the water reached the desired temperature, and worked on the same convection principle as the coal/wood firebox. Hence all the piping. I knew someone in Vancouver, B.C., who still heated hot water with a gas/wood burning stove until abut 15 years ago.
Dang if that ain’t a geyser right next the stove! You don’t often see them this side the Atlantic.
(Erm … where’s the slot for the pennies?)
Agree with Patterdale. Those are shortcake biscuits.
After much consideration, I think this is dessert. Strawberry shortcake? I think the beef roast to the side is waiting to go to the icebox.
Since I grew up in a house with a kitchen of this ilk, everything looks pretty familiar, except all that apparatus in the corner to the left of the stove. What does it do, besides look real dangerous?
[Heat water. - Dave]
How many times I heard that as a kid. And from all the neighbor kids' moms also.
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