The anti-cold fireplace in the early 17th century

The Dutch placed a bowl of hot coal inside the stove, placed their feet on a perforated wooden top or slate of stone for heating.

In the Dutch language, a foot heater, called "stoof", is a block of length and width of 25.4 cm, height of 1 cm. Wood or slate is the main material for furnace due to low thermal conductivity, avoiding burns to the user's feet. The front of the furnace is open, there is a small door that opens and closes when users want to change charcoal into the furnace.

Normally, when heating the legs with this portable furnace, people sit on chairs, their feet are placed on the top of the stove, the heat from the fireplace spreads on the feet through the perforated vents, or the surface of the stone slab. For optimal use, people wear long, long-sleeved outfits that cover the legs and the fireplace, so that not only the feet can feel the heat, but the warmth is also directed through the skirt, the skirt or wide leg pants up to the upper body.

A foot heater has a top surface made of stone slabs, not perforated.(Photo: Wikipedia).

The furnace played an important role in keeping the body warm for the Dutch at the time. Whenever it was cold, they took coal from the main fireplace in the house, put it in a foot heater and sat on it. On Sundays, women and girls carry a stove with them to heat them when attending a service at a local church. At lunch break, the parishioners moved to the church's barn (Sabba-day House), had lunch, removed the newly used charcoal bowl and replaced it with hot coals from the warehouse fireplace, then continued. continue to attend the rest of the prayer without worrying about colds or flu.

Thanks to the compact design, people carry this furnace with them every time they travel long distances by carriage, sleigh. When the train was born, foot heating was a service that was served exclusively on luxury carriages.

The Dutch also made copper prismatic footplaces with elaborate decorative and elaborate carvings. This type is often used on special occasions such as weddings. Jan Havickszoon Steen - Dutch artist has shown the image of a foot fireplace three times: Twelfth Night, The Sick Girl, The Doctor's Visit.

The copper fireplace is meticulously decorated for newlyweds.(Photo: Colonial Senfe).

The use of a foot heater is increasing, especially in areas such as New Amsterdam, East Germany and the Americas, but there are many variations.

In the US, foot heaters played an important role in the 18th century, with many models. The most common type is a tin furnace, with four wooden pillars that lift the bottom and the top of the fireplace while avoiding burns. In addition to the perforated face, the four tin sides also have round holes, stars, hearts, diamonds and other elaborate shapes in folk art. These carvings are considered to be the most interesting feature of the fireplace, different carvings determine the purchase price, and help to generate more heat.

Some variations of foot heaters.(Photo: Colonial Senfe).

Between the 18th and early 19th centuries, the appearance of heating water bottles and indoor heating systems made foot heating less common.

• Notes on using heating equipment in the cold season