Iron Washington radiated heat

Houses in America were originally heated by open fires in a fireplace. By the mid-1700s, cast-iron heating stoves were introduced. Many were "five plate" stoves made of five iron plates assembled as an open box. The stove was put in an opening in the wall of a room adjacent to the kitchen. Live coals were put inside it from the kitchen fireplace. This heated the room without carrying the smoke from the kitchen.

Other styles of stoves were made, many with elaborate designs cast in the iron plates. Stove improvements could be patented after 1793, and new designs after 1842.

In 1843, Alonzo Blanchard of Albany, N.Y., patented a stove design he called "Washington." It was, he said, a "radiator or an ornament." A statue of George Washington was set on top of a small stove. Some of the Washington statues were sold as garden ornaments. Blanchard included the patent date on his Washington statues. Jordan Mott's company made the same figure without the patent date.

When central heating for homes was perfected, heating stoves were not needed and many of the heavy cast-iron relics were scrapped or stored. Today some houses, especially in Europe, still use heating stoves of a more modern, efficient design. Collectors buy old iron stoves for prices ranging up from $500 on up.

Comment: A record-setting occupational shaving mug picturing a Red Cross ambulance that sold for $22,425 was pictured in a recent column. We heard from many readers who sent pictures of their shaving mugs asking if they owned a treasure. A few seem to be worth high prices. Each had the name of a relative and a picture. One showed a train, another a man oiling a large piece of machinery, another a fraternal emblem and another the clasped hands symbol of the Socialist party with the slogan, "Workers of the World Unite." We were delighted to see that there are still rare collectibles waiting to be identified.

Q: We have a red plastic cup, about 6 ounces, that has a decal of Howdy Doody on it and the words "Howdy Doody, Be Keen -- Drink Chocolate Flavored Ovaltine." Can you tell me if it's worth anything?

A: "The Howdy Doody Show," originally called "The Puppet Playhouse," aired from 1947 to 1960. It was the first nationally televised children's TV show, NBC's first show to go to five days a week and its first daily show to be in color. Ovaltine was one of the show's sponsors.

Your cup is probably the bottom of an Ovaltine shake-up mug. The mugs were offered as Ovaltine premiums in the 1950s, and they had lids to make it easier to shake-up the powdered drink. The value of your mug is under $10.

Q: Could you tell me the value of my 5.25-inch Stangl Pottery pitcher? It's in the Apple Delight pattern.

A: Johann Martin Stangl was president of the Fulper Pottery Co. of Flemington, N.J., when he bought the company in 1930. But the Stangl trademark had been used since the mid-1920s. The company's name was formally changed to Stangl Pottery Co. in 1955.

Stangl is best known for its dinnerware and bird figurines. The Apple Delight pattern was made from 1965 to 1974. Five different sizes of Apple Delight pitchers were made: 6 ounce, 1/2 pint, 1 pint, 1 quart and 2 quart. Yours is probably one of the smaller ones. Any of those today sell for $20 to $40.

Ralph and Terry Kovel's column is syndicated by King Features. Write to: Kovels, (Las Vegas Review-Journal), King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019.