Parlor Stove Dilemma??

A few weeks ago I reported that I had been in the market for an old wood stove and I found it.  I met Fred at a storage facility and bought his grandfather's potbellied stove.  I was looking for a more ornate parlor stove, but it was a nice solid antique stove.  I set it up in the basement awaiting its 'make over' during bad weather this winter.  A winter 'project'.



Fred's Grandfather's Potbellied Stove

About two weeks later while waiting for guests to arrive I was scanning Craig's list.  Wouldn't you know it, I ran across a parlor stove.  Normally these disappear if pretty fast when they are reasonably priced.   I've often called only to find them aready sold.  Actually, the seller was located in Iowa, almost directly across the river; however, because of the summer flooding and associated road damage, 680 east was still closed making the 20 trip more like 80 miles.   I took a chance and called.   The guy was surprised because he had just listed it a few minutes earlier.  He answered a few of my questions and I told him I was on my way.  

Linda, took care of the guests.  I arrived before dark and there it sat in his front yard.  A Wisdom Oak Parlor Stove, No. 15.  A classic cylinder parlor stove that had seen some hard use.  We talked about it, I paid the man what he asked and loaded it up.   I got home and Linda wasn't that impressed, it was in half a dozen pieces. 

Fred's Grandpa's and the Iowa parlor
stove sitting in our basement

We had an early snow storm and I found my way to the basement and got to work.  I had a good steel wheel brush and started cleaning the stove.  The leg bolts were all loose and the base plate where the bolt holes were was a little bent so I pounded them out.  I had some rod iron black spray paint and gave it a couple of coats. 

The metal trim had been chromed at one time and it was badly rusted and corroded.  I believe ornamental trim for these stoves was normally nickel plated which makes me think this might have been an early restoration project by someone else.  This might have been some else's 'project'; now its mine.   Linda suggested we add some stove pipe.  What do you think?