General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 METAL (INCLUDING CAST IRON) AND CERAMIC COMPONENTS..2 ALL METAL CONSTRUCTION.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

63.0 cm

Width

22.0 cm

Height

67.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Environment control

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Wright

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

Birmingham

Context

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TYPE OF HEATER USED C. 1915+

Canada

PART OF A LARGE COLLECTION OF DOMESTIC AND LIGHTING APPLIANCES, AND MEASURING INSTRUMENTS ACQUIRED FROM CONSUMERS' GAS COMPANY LTD. THESE ITEMS ILLUSTRATE THE PRODUCTION, TRANSFORMATION, DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF GAS RESOURCES IN CANADA OVER MORE THAN 150 YEARS. (REF. 1)

Function

PLACED WITHIN AN EXISTING FIREPLACE STRUCTURE, IT IS USED TO RAISE THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IN A ROOM.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF BRITISH-MADE RADIANT GAS HEATER, SUITABLE FOR MOUNTING WITHIN AN EXISTING FIREPLACE HEARTH. GAS SUPPLIED VIA THE FITTING IN THE LOWER RIGHT HEATED THE LARGE CERAMIC PANEL AND 7 FIRE CLAY BLOCKS. THE TEMPERATURE COULD BE ADJUSTED (TO SOME EXTENT), AND TURNED OFF WHEN NOT NEEDED, BUT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION WAS WASTED VIA THE CHIMNEY. THE 'RAYVECTOR' FIRE (C. 1927) DEVELOPED BY R & A MAIN, G.B. INCORPORATED SOME CONVECTION HEAT OUTPUT AND A CLOSURE PLATE WHICH 'SEALED' THE HEATER WITHIN THE FIREPLACE: IT IS VERY SIMILAR IN APPEARANCE TO THIS EARLIER WRIGHT HEATER. (REF.3)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 "J. WRIGHT/ & CO./ B'HAM/ PAT./ NOS.{/ 6235/14 / 10861/14 / 548/15 / 3868/15" incised on raised plate on gas vent housing. " 10" S./ [?]15 " incised on internal gas intake fitting; "G" cast in raised print on gas intake connection. "J.W. & Co B"HAM" incised on lower front edge. "T" cast in raised print on inside lower edge of each heater block..2 "J. WRICHT & CO B'HAM" incised in lower front of panel. "THE PROPERTY/ OF THE CITY OF/BIRMINGHAM/ GAS DEPARTMENT/ GF 58063" appears on plate fixed to lower left. "REG NO 625932 3" cast in raised print in inside. "7 RADIANT" incised on inside front of cover. [NB: othermarkings are illegible]

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE. AT LEAST TWO OF THE FIRECLAY BLOCKS IN THE HEATER ARE DAMAGED, WITH SOME PIECES MISSING. From CA of 10/05/2001 by Flora Davidson: Undetermined

Finish

SMOOTH BLACK ENAMEL FINISH APPLIED TO HEATER EXTERIOR; RED CLAY HEATER PANEL; OFF-WHITE HEATER BLOCKS.

Decoration

N/A