The Chicago Antiques Guide Blog
Humphrey Radiantfire
Posted Tuesday, October 25 by CAG •
Brian and Ron:
I have a general idea of what this is (see photo) but I'm looking for more specifics, including whether or not it's worth anything. It's basically a gas fireplace accessory which (I was told by my house's previous owner) puts off a sheet of blue flame when lit. We don't have it hooked up (the fire risk seems rather scary) and an experienced chimney repairman we hired said he had never seen anything like it. It appears to be made of brass (probably iron clad in brass) and is quite heavy. Even though we don't have it hooked up, I'm rather fond of the way it looks just as a decorative piece. But of course, if it's a rare and valued item, I'd of course be interested in selling it. I'd love to know what it's worth, along
with more info on the manufacturer. I can send more photos if you like.
Pete
The Humphrey Company started in the early 1900's, as the General Gas Light Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1916, they patented the Radiantfire gas heater (there are many different models), which operated on natural gas, heating a set of ceramic inserts that would glow and radiate heat into the room. They became very popular and sold well. By 1920 there were over 700,000 already installed and the company was turning them out at rates up to 150,000 a year. Because of that, there are enough still around to keep prices pretty reasonable. The highest one sold for recently on Ebay was about $255 in excellent working order, others sold for as little as $15-$20. Yours seems a little more ornate, but the ceramic inserts look suspicious in the photo. If the ceramic inserts aren't chipped, cracked, or broken; they might just need a good cleaning.
It probably would be dangerous to operate yours without having the unit certified by your local gas company. There are a number of posts on the internet from people who have them installed and love them. Replacement inserts are apparently available, but I did not find any sites offering them while doing research.
It appears that yours could be made functional again, but also serves as a very decorative fire screen if you choose not to restore it.
