If you're an antique-lover like I am, and that's a lover of antiques, not an elderly lover (but you very well could be and that would be just swell, as elderly folks need lovin', too!), then please look no further if you'd like to see a fun piece I recently acquired. My Aunt Susan (my Mother's oldest sister) loves antiques and family heirlooms. I've always found the more stories I learn about my family's history, the more I can feel like I belong somewhere. We all want a sense of belonging, right? Auntie Sue has been cleaning out her house, room by room, drawer by drawer, and came across this fire starter pot. But what is a fire starter pot, you young whippersnappers may ask?
According to www.hunker.com:
A fire starter pot is usually made out of metal or, sometimes, clay or another ceramic material. Inside is a metal rod, usually with a soapstone disk at the top. The fire pot is filled with a flammable liquid (usually kerosene) that the soapstone sits in. To light a fire, the wand is pulled out and the kerosene on the soapstone is lit. Then, the soapstone is placed against a log. The kerosene on the soapstone burns for about 10 minutes at a high temperature. Just like a kindling fire, it provides the initial heat to get the fire going, but it does so with far less fuss.
I guess nowadays they're not used as much, as I would imagine having kerosene sitting in a container on a fireplace may be a little dangerous around pets or kids, as it could easily get knocked over. We have no kids, but we do have a rambunctious four year old German Shepherd with a careless wagging tail! I don't know, though, maybe they're still used?? Frankly, I had never heard of a fire starter pot until my Auntie Sue mentioned it to me. In my home, we have a wood burning fireplace that is situated on top of a mountain stone hearth. So having a fire starter pot only makes sense!
Auntie Sue so graciously gave me her fire starter pot. She knows I love antiques and family history! It belonged to my great-grandparents, Joe and Rubye Watkins, and was used at their house in the 1940s in Chattanooga, TN. It was given to them as a gift by Joe's sister, Alvah Walker. And then somewhere down the line, it was given to my Aunt Susan and late Uncle Rusty and they kept it adorned on their hearth for many years in Chattanooga, too.
The fact that the little pot is brass just makes my heart swell even more. I love ALL tones of metals. But brass, no matter how much I hate the 1980s decade for kind of ruining what good brass really is, still and will always be my favorite. This pot brings history into my home, STYLE into my home. My personal décor style is bringing the outside in. Because I'm such a nature girl, I love warm tones and colors and scents, woods, metals, greenery, florals, stones, rocks, etc. Nature has always brought me a sense of peace, so I love bringing that feel of serenity into my home. And because brass is made up of copper and zinc, the outside is definitely in. And a sense of serenity is also felt in the history sitting right inside the little pot.
This little passed-down fire starter pot is now my favorite new piece of décor and I think it looks perfect sitting on top of the fireplace. Now I'll await chilly weather to test it out!
...until next time!
--Jennie B.
