this Heatrola is hot!

[phonophan79]

...ok corny subject joke...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0358167131

(from the auction:)
ORIGINAL BROCHURE OF ESTATE HEATROLA

SHAPED LIKE OUTSIDE PHONOGRAPH - 1920's

VERY UNIQUE HEATER SOLD IN THE 1920's THAT WAS SHAPED LIKE AN OUTSIDE PHONOGRAPH. IT WAS SPONSORED BY COLUMBIA.

[larryh]

Various stoves can be found in this period that copied the cabinet styles of phonographs of the time. While the Heatrola is at a glance somewhat in that vain, I have seen some that were nearly identical in detail and shape to a real phonograph. Someone had one on ebay at some point that had lots of decorative trims and other features that made it the closest thing to a phonograph that I had seen in a stove. At one time a shop not too far from here had one so close to the shape of a Sonora curved sided cabinet that I wasn't sure from a distance which it was. Almost all these stoves were from a period where coal was the preferred heat source so for us that use wood, they have little practical value.

[brianu]

did you just come across those images? I remember seeing one of those - the actual heater - on ebay about two years or so ago. I don't believe it sold, and the opening bid was something in the $500 to $1000 range I think, although it could have been less.

[larryh]

I think if you check the ebay listings now you will find a nice one either in the for sale or completed items list. (its in the completed list, not sure that was the really nice one that ran recently I didn't look too close. There is a Heatrola bank running however that one might get if you really enthused about his heater/victrola.