Decorating with a Vintage, Modern, Retro Cone Fireplace

Freestanding cone fireplaces are all the rage for modern, retro decorating. The freestanding cone fireplace was popular in the 1960s and 70's and is making a comeback among the group of people who collect vintage, mid century modern home decor and memorabilia. The freestanding cone fireplaces of the mid century era came in a number of sizes, colors and shapes. They were made by companies such as Preway, Malm and Majestic. Preway made cone fireplaces that Sears put their name on.

These cone freestanding fireplaces were versatile and were designed to be wood burning fireplaces, gas fireplaces and electric fireplaces. The wood burning versions were designed to be modified for use as either a gas burning or as electric fireplaces. The gas and electric fireplace were not designed to be converted to a wood burning fireplace. The reason for this is that the floors of the wood burning fireplaces were made with a heavier quality metal than the gas and electric fireplaces and the wood burinng fireplaces had a built in heat shield. In addition, the wood burning fireplaces came with firebrick or refractory cement for the floor.

Majestic-an American Standard Company was one of the competitors in the race to sell contemporary vintage, retro fireplaces. They sold several models including the Firehood; which they claimed was the original conical wood burning fireplace. Other models in the Majestic line were: the Aztecc, the Manchester-Pierce, the Jupiter, the Venus, the Athena, the Mercury, the Regency and the Doric.

Majestic fireplaces came in an assortment of colors. In an April 1972 brochure the company offered a variety of colors in their line of fireplaces. The colors at that time were: Mandarin Red, Matte Black, White, Inca Gold, Bronze Green and Orange Tone. The colors changed over time. Some that were offered were taken away and new colors were added off and on.

The wood-burning fireplaces were porcelain and finished in colors or there was an option to buy a matte finish in black. Each fireplace, requiring a flue, was packaged complete with the stove pipe to accommodate an 8' ceiling. Easy to install directions were packaged with all fireplaces.

The Majestic Company also sold installation parts which included such items as a Thulman prefabricated chimney or a Majestic Gas Vent. The installation parts were approved, tested and proven for all fuel and gas vent assemblies by the factory to assure safe, fast and effective installation and trouble-free operation. Majestic published a separate catalog for Majestic fireplace chimneys.

If you run across a Majestic fireplace, or any freestanding cone fireplace for that matter beware of installation; if the original installation information is with the fireplace. Building codes have changed since these fireplaces were first produced. In order to install one of these cone fireplaces safely, contact a local building code authority, a fireplace contractor, a heating and air conditioning business, or the National Fire Protection Association document NFPA 211.

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