Toy Stove

Q: This toy stove was part of a cousin's collection and as near as I can figure, it could have been given to her around 1907. It is 14 1/2 inches long, 8 3/4 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches high. I've searched through books and inquired at antiques shows and can't find any information about it. The top burners have a cotton-like material in them and the burner is adjustable. The trim on the front is brass. There is a water-heating unit on one side and a trivet, baking sheet, roasting pan, and three cooking pans with brass lids. This logo is on the ends. Can you give me some information on age, origin, and value?

A: The mark was used by Gebruder Marklin & Co. of Goppingen, Germany. Marklin is best known for its production of toy trains and clockwork tin toys, but the company was also one of the major producers of doll-size stoves and accessories. The alcohol burner could be filled with alcohol or methylated spirits and the cotton in the burner acted as a wick when lit. Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Marklin (1817-1866) began making tinplate cooking utensils for dolls in 1859. His wife ran the business after he died. By 1888 his sons were running the company, which traded under the name Gebruder Marklin & Co. beginning in 1908. Your stove's mark was used after the name change. The value of your toy stove could be as high as $1,000.