Antique 90-100 yr old cast iron Markel Neo-Glo electric art nouveau heater

[inspectorgadget]

Scored this very rare ornate art nouveau cast iron heater yesterday. Its 25" x 15" x 20" & weighs about 45 lbs. Has 2 light bulbs inside that have 1 fan that sit above each of the bulbs (2 fans total), they spin from the heat off the bulbs. This creates a flicker effect thru the amber glass cullets or slag type glass that cover the mesh or grate screen on the top & in front. The heating element is in the top back portion facing forward & has 3 settings. This heater is very hard to find info on or about & it could be from the 1910's up to the mid 20's. Looks like it was made to sit inside of a fireplace "I assume". It also still works great & its one of my coolest scores to date!

Anyone out there have info on old heaters like this? BTW this wasn't one of those great $1 finds I actually paid $100 for it but I would imagine $300-$350 is a more accurate value. Markel heaters from the art deco era & machine age era (30's-50's) are some what easy to find & get info on but not so with one this old.

 

[Tallone]

That is a really interesting piece. I wish I could help you but I don't know a thing about it. The only experience I have had with heaters is an old kerosene heater with duck art on it I picked up at an auction a year or so ago (paid $30 - sold it for $75) but that thing was nothing like yours. Are you going to keep it or sell it?

 

[diggummup]

Markel Electric products was first established in 1920 by Joseph Markel in Buffalo, NY. It dates to around 1928-1930. I don't think your forced air heater would be considered art nouveau. That being said it is a very nice piece and doesn't look like it has traveled very far from where it was originally made. Markel Electric Heetaire Art Nouveau Heater | eBay why is it on Ebay for sale, is this yours?

Here is the patent for it- https://www.google.com/patents/USD77803?dq=inassignee:%22Markel+Electric+Products%22heater&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mcByUsWrMNSPkAe8x4CYDw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwAw

 

[inspectorgadget]

Are you going to keep it or sell it?

That's always the million dollar question "to keep or to sell"! I will most likely keep this as it's just to bulky & heavy to ship. I might however take it to one of the local "indoor garage sales" held at the state fairgrounds during the winter & put it out there with a hefty $500 price on it. If I can get $400 or more then I sell & if not I keep it as I do like it a lot & would probably really regret selling it for any less.

When I bought it the people had 2 of them (both incomplete) & they wanted $200 for the pair. I talked them into taking parts from one & putting those parts with the other one to make it complete for $100. A friend then bought the incomplete one from them for $60. I myself wanted both of em (to make 1 complete unit) but my friend really wanted one & he did not want to spend $100 so it worked out well for the both of us as he didn't spend $100 & I got a complete unit!

 

[inspectorgadget]

Markel Electric products was first established in 1920 by Joseph Markel in Buffalo, NY. It dates to around 1928-1930. I don't think your forced air heater would be considered art nouveau. That being said it is a very nice piece and doesn't look like it has traveled very far from where it was originally made. Markel Electric Heetaire Art Nouveau Heater | eBay why is it on Ebay for sale, is this yours?

Nope that isn't mine (I did however steal 2 of the pix from that ad) as I forgot to take pix with the glass pieces removed during cleaning & there is a whole lot of glass so I'm not removing it again! The first 2 pix of it running are my pix, I just didn't think to take pix along the way. I found that ebay ad as a completed listing (didn't sell). I also emailed that seller to see if he ever found out more info on it & to let him know glass went on the top.

I don't know what to call it if not art nouveau as I wouldn't call it deco more like a nouveau deco combo as typical deco just has straighter lines than this has. I always look at it like this art deco = the Chrysler building, art nouveau = the Eiffel tower & this looks way more Eiffel tower than Chrysler building tho again I feel it's a combo or transition of the 2 styles. The decor I see this fitting in with is old Tiffany style nouveau lamps & the like. It doesn't really match my deco stuff & I have a lot of deco items & deco decor.

 

[inspectorgadget]

Markel Electric products was first established in 1920 by Joseph Markel in Buffalo, NY. It dates to around 1928-1930. I don't think your forced air heater would be considered art nouveau. That being said it is a very nice piece and doesn't look like it has traveled very far from where it was originally made. Markel Electric Heetaire Art Nouveau Heater

That patent page shows one close but mine is completely different, the back top part is very different as the back top part of mine is curved on the sides & top. It's not the same width as the rest of the unit & sure as heck not as tall as the one shown in that diagram. The back of that one is as tall as the unit it's self (probably had 2 heating coils), the top back portion of mine might be 5 1/2" tall in the dead center including the little decorative ball thing that sits on top, it isn't all square like that one is, my top is quite curvy & small in comparison.

 

[diggummup]

I agree it doesn't look like the usual traditional art deco style. I like the term neo-gothic myself. Whether correct or not, I don't know.

 

[inspectorgadget]

I agree it doesn't look like the usual traditional art deco style. I like the term neo-gothic myself. Whether correct or not, I don't know.

Yes yes I like neo-gothic as a term to describe this!

 

[vpnavy]

Great buy inspectorgadget!