I'm now in the enviable position of having an extra woodstove to dispose of. This is a US-made, cast iron, Franklin type, Vermont Castings "Vigilant" model, cast in 1977. Vermont still makes this basic model and you can see a picture of it on their web site. They sell it for $1030.00. It is billed as a coal stove, but the fellow I got it from burned hardwood in it for 20 years with no problem. It has the fire screen and some useable stovepipe. This one needs a little cosmetic TLC, but it is in fine basic condition and none of the castings are cracked or burned through. I need to get $250.00 for it. This puppy is HEAVY. I have no way to ship it, so you'll need to come down here to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (with a truck) and I can help you load it. If interested, email me at ttoups@aol.com or call 228-467-0376.

Best regards

Doc

-- T.H. "Doc" Toups (ttoups@aol.com), December 06, 1999

Answers

Doc, there is no way that 1977 model is anything like the Vermont Castings models sold today. Today they use catalytic exhaust systems to reduce emmissions. It may have the same name, but that's probably the end of the similarity.

-- nobody (nobody@nowhere.com), December 08, 1999.

Nobody, I measured my stove against the current specs published by Vermont. The dimensions are very close to (and in most cases) exactly the same as the 1977 model. Additionally, the old stove also has the thermostat control. As you pointed out, there is no catalytic device on my old stove, but -- as I said -- they are very similar (not identical). The main cosmetic difference is that the two swinging firebox doors on mine are solid cast iron. The new version has pretty glass inserts in the doors allowing you to look into the firebox. The original owner said that he'd paid around $400 or $500 for it 20 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, that pretty much puts it in the ballpark of the current retail price of over $1000.

Best regards

Doc

-- T.H. "Doc" Toups (ttoups@aol.com), December 08, 1999.