Blowtorches – USA – The Terrence Marsh Lantern Gallery

ACORN BRASS MFG COMPANY

Acorn Brass Works changed their name in 1902 to Acorn Brass Mfg Company. They made only a couple of blowtorch models and they were based in Chicago.

Acorn Champion (Gasoline 1 pt – abt 1902 to 1923)
Notes: A very old blowtorch from the collection of Dwayne Hanson. The Champion model was made in two sizes; pint and quart. An acorn feature is on the top of their pumps.

GOOD MFG CO (Justrite trademark)

The Good Mfg Co was stamped on the Justrite model 1239 as the manufacturer and Justrite was stated to be a trade mark. However, Justrite Mfg Co, founded in 1906 was Chicago based and started out in carbide lamps as per their 1915 carbide lamps catalog. Justrite Mfg Co held the patent for the improved combination soldering iron / blowtorch model 1239. The Justrite company produces fuel cans and other safety products to this day.

Good Mfg Co – Justrite 1239
(Gasoline abt 1/4 pt – late 1920s to early 1930s)
Notes: This Justrite self-heating soldering iron (SHSI) / blowtorch was the subject of a patent No 1,518,404 to William J. Frisbie on 9 December 1924. The patent covered an innovative ‘rigid grip structure’ (aka handle) to avoid the brass combination tank/handle that could become hot. The black fiber handle also had a removable end fitting to enable access to the filler cap in the end of the unit. This blowtorch was formerly in a collection owned by Terry Marsh. He advised that with a gasket change and a pre-heat with alcohol the torch then ran well on Coleman fuel, right from when he obtained it secondhand. He also noted that the fiber handle had previously deformed slightly probably owing to the heat, despite the air gap inside the handle. A later version had a star shaped base cap.

OTTO BERNZ

Founded by Otto Bernz to sell plumber’s tools it became a major company and a leading producer in the blowtorch industry. In the 1940s the company moved from Newark NJ to Rochester NY. The company changed it’s name to BernzOmatic around the same time. The business is still operating today.

Otto Bernz – ‘1909 Patent’ (Gasoline 1 pt – abt 1910s)
Notes: This very early Otto Bernz is distinguished by the Otto Bernz wheel like pump knob having 6 holes and not the more common later 5 holes plus a stamped model number where the 6^th hole would have been.

A patent number 937757 dated 26 October 1909 narrows the dating range and was issued for a screw-down improved air pump. This significant feature ensured the pump rod stayed safely out of the way during usage. This was achieved by a thread at the top of the pump rod which could be screwed into the pump tube cap. The patent also covered a no-leak seal in the pump. Doug Dwyer, whose collection this is in advised that the height and width of the tank are both about 3 3/8” which equates to a 1 US pint capacity.

Otto Bernz 188 (Gasoline 1 pt – 1920s to early-30s)
Notes: This is a little known blowtorch that has the earlier features of Otto Bernz blowtorches including the six pointed metal valve wheel and the ribbed wooden handle held by cast bronze fittings. The torch is in Dean Dorholt’s collection and is stamped Otto Bernz & Co. Newark N.J. with the Bernz ‘Always Reliable’ slogan. The inclined torch is bottom filled.

Otto Bernz 88 (Gasoline 1 pt – about 1940s)
Notes: This brass model 88 has a one piece tapered burner made from high-grade composition bronze. This torch, in Kevin Grabb’s collection, has the ribbed handle and a bottom filled tank with the base acting as a funnel. The torch has a needle valve that enters the burner orifice, so when shutting the flame down the valve must be turned off gently. There is no windshield on model 88 but there is one on the 88A. The equivalent quart model is the 87.

Otto Bernz 250A (Gasoline 1 pt – about 1940s)
Notes: This popular blowtorch, made in Rochester, NY was advertised in the forties as a Gasoline-kerosene model, but a separate ‘jet block’ marked ‘K’ needed to be requested for using kerosene. The valve on the 250A has a self-cleaning needle pin which cleans the orifice every time the torch is used. This torch is in Dean Dorholt’s collection and is a bottom filled unit through its funnel base (lower image). A wind-proof shield is fitted over the burner. The tank is steel but later 250A models had brass tanks and ribbed handles. The model 500 was the equivalent quart sized torch.

Otto Bernz 502 (Gasoline 4 pt – abt 1940s)
Notes: This is one of the larger Bernz brazing torches and an optional hose extension kit was available for the model. The ornate pump knob is shown above (middle image). A similar 1 gallon model also exists. The filling plug (lower image) was in the base and the steel tank has weathered the years very well.

PETERSON – PLUMMER MFG. Co.

Located in Maywood, Illinois the company produced the Peterson-Plummer blowtorch which was patented on 9th March 1920. The company and the torch have a complicated history after 1920.

Peterson-Plummer Mfg. Co. (Gasoline 1/2 pt – 1919/1920)
Notes: This blowtorch, formerly in Terry Marsh’s collection, was unusual in having no spirit cup. The user pressurised the tank, upended the torch and released a little fuel back onto a small part of the burner. Once lit the unit was heated until that fuel was exhausted and the valve then opened.

PRENTISS WABERS PRODUCTS CO

Prentiss Wabers was an early established company manufacturing stoves and fireplaces. In 1931 as part of an expansion they started manufacturing gasoline blowtorches. By 1933 they had several models. Preway was their brand name at times.

Preway S-45 (Gasoline 1qt – 1931 to about 1950s)
Notes: The Preway model S-45 was made by Prentiss Wabers Products Co of Wisconsin. Dean Dorholt, whose collection it is in, pre-heats it with alcohol and then runs it on Coleman Fuel. The S-45 has a seamless brass tank with a steel base along with a Bakelite valve wheel. The blowtorch also featured the Preway Instant Lighter, with it’s smaller Bakelite second valve wheel. The tank is a top fill model requiring the removal of the pump assembly and probably a funnel. A later version, the 45A, had a bottom fill plug.

SEARS ROEBUCK AND CO

Sears Roebuck were well known for their prolific catalogs of a diverse range of products. Prior to about 1929 blowtorches that they sold, were made by other manufacturers and sold under those respective brands. After 1929 Sears sold blowtorches made for them under their own brands such as Sears, Dunlap or Craftsman to name a few.

Sears Roebuck and Co. 55453 (Gasoline 1 quart – 1968-1972)
Notes: This Sears copper-brazed steel tank blowtorch is filled through the pump assembly housing. The general design and burner (second image) is a typical design common to several manufacturers though this model was made by Turner Brass Works. The blowtorch, from the collection of Mark Sandel, has a broad base (top and lower images) for support. The burner opening is 3/4″.

« We benefitted from Microsoft’s AI program, Copilot, in confirming the manufacturer and model number of this blowtorch. Our first use of this tool was November 11, 2025. »

UNIQUE MFG CO INC

Unique was a company that like many other joined the rush during the 1920s and 1930s to produce blowtorches. They were based in Chicago, USA.

Unique 0 (T-L 130) (Gasoline – abt 1920s to 1930s)
Notes: This bright red ‘auto-torch’ has an interesting shape and was based on the last and most common of 4 different versions of the model 0. This version has a filler plug and upright handle. Version 3 had a combined pump/filler plug and versions 1 and 2 had angled handles. The torch was formerly in Terry Marshs’s collection.