Monday, February 22, 2021

Enterprise Stoves from the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation of Nashville, Tennessee

I thought I'd share one of my 2020 Christmas present with all of you.  This stove catalog is from the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation of Nashville, Tennessee, and lists all of their coal and wood ranges, stoves, and heaters.

It has been very difficult to find information about the Phillips and Buttorff Corporation anywhere on the internet.  What little I've found says that when Henry W. Buttorff, who was born in 1837, came of working age, he started as a sheet metal apprentice and worked his way into being a leading businessman in the state of Tennessee.  The Phillips & Buttorff Manufacturing Corporation was incorporated in 1881 but had been in business as Phillips, Buttorff & Company for several years before that.   


There is no date anywhere in this catalog, but my best guess is that it dates from 1946 - 1950.  I base this on the following evidence:

a) The style of stoves shown in the catalog.
b) The font styles used for the text.
c) Page 1 identifies this as catalog "T."


My research uncovered that Catalog "H" came out in 1932.  If a single catalog were published each year, Catalog "T" should have come out in 1944.  However, we all know that World War II stopped stove production in the U.S. since all foundries were retooled to produce munitions or other products needed for the war.  

The catalog does say that Phillips & Buttorff also produced a complete line of electric and gas stoves at the time it was published.  During my research, I found several pictures of Enterprise gas stoves from this company, some of which looked as though they were produced in the 1960s.  I was not able to find any information about the company's end, though.

Before you take a look at the pictures below, let me say that I was initially confused about this catalog because I expected it to depict the Enterprise stoves which were manufactured in Canada.  I now know that the Canadian Enterprise stove line was manufactured by Enterprise Fawcett in Sackville, New Brunswick, and had no connection that I can find to the Tennessee company using the same branding.

Enough comments, Jim.  Let the pictures speak for themselves!














The ten-page gap here is because the omitted pages all had to do with their heating stoves.









The page above, my friends, is the type of thing that caused me to start this blog.  Notice how scant the directions really are.


If any of my readers has a Phillips & Buttorff Enterprise stove, please comment below about your experiences with it.  Also, if anyone who reads this knows more about the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation, by all means, utilize the comments to let us all know more about this company!  

9 comments:

  1. Check Bizapedia for some info.

    Company Name: PHILLIPS & BUTTORFF RETAIL CORP.
    Entity Type: DOMESTIC FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION
    File Number: 000282169
    Filing State: Tennessee (TN)
    Filing Status: Inactive - Revoked (Revenue)
    Filing Date: August 2, 1994
    Company Age: 26 Years, 6 Months
    Registered Agent:
    Map Icon spacer Guy C Whitley
    1083 Moran Road
    Franklin, TN 37069
    Principal Address:
    Map Icon spacer 1083-Moran Rd
    Franklin, TN 37064
    Mailing Address:
    Map Icon spacer Po Box 50316
    Nashville, TN 37205
    Report Due Date: April 1, 1997
    Source: Tennessee Department of State


    Phillips & Buttorff Retail Corp. is a Tennessee Domestic For-Profit Corporation filed On August 2, 1994. The company's filing status is listed as Inactive - Revoked (Revenue) and its File Number is 000282169.

    The Registered Agent on file for this company is Guy C Whitley and is located at 1083 Moran Road, Franklin, TN 37069. The company's principal address is 1083-Moran Rd, Franklin, TN 37064 and its mailing address is Po Box 50316, Nashville, TN 37205.

    The company has 1 principal on record. The principal is Guy C Whitley from Franklin TN.

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  2. Thank you! My husband just received an “Victor” model of a wood cook stove that was manufactured by this company (and being stored in his grandpa’s garage). Looks almost identical to the drawings here for the Jewel model. This will be very helpful as we attempt to restore it to its former glory :)

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    Replies
    1. My email is kandhlam@gmail.com if anyone has any specific info on the Victor model. Thx! Heather

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  3. I just purchased a 3460 wbrs...??? what the w stands for BUT everything else in brochure on page 7&8 looks like mine. This one's in great shape to the years of age.

    I have great memories of my teenage years helping on one particular farm where the lady always cooked on one like this in her basement...the hiers still have it sit up...BUT NO ONE could cook on it like her....yum, yum

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    Replies
    1. Excellent! Congratulations on your new acquisition! If you get it set up and start using it, be sure to let me know. It would be fun to write a "Reader's Cookstove" post about it.

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  4. we own a Black Diamond wood or coal stove and I am trying to determine what years they were made.

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    Replies
    1. I looked up a picture of a Black Diamond cookstove, and unfortunately I can't tell from looking at it what years it might have been manufactured. Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable than I will see your comment and help answer the question. Thanks for your comment!

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  5. Thank you, this is helpful. I have an Enterprise range, electric three burner. I need some new heating elements, but haven't had much luck finding any information about the stove. I can tell this is the right thing because the font is clearly the same as on mine. I actually live in Clarksville Tennessee, an hour from Nashville.

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  6. Trying to restore a Phillips and Buttorff Mfg. Co Nō21 Parlor Stove but I can't find anything to use for reference and I think I may be missing a couple parts. Any lead on that model would be wonderful. Thank you

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