KEROSENE HEATERS MADE IN THE NETHERLANDS

From the collection of Manfred Koster
http://manfredkoster.webs.com/

America had the Perfection heater and its clones, England the Valor and Aladdin Blue Flame, all flame spreader designs.  Various firms in Japan and Taiwan made a plethora of heaters beginning with flame spreaders (Moonlighter, Corona and KOGY), and later with catalytic converter burners.  And almost lost from history were the very unique and beautiful heaters made in The Netherlands by "N. V. Koninklijke Kamper Emaillefabrieken" - the Facetta, Safe-e-fire and Safire; and the AGA, made by "Nederlandsche Aga Radiatoren- en Apparatenfabriek" in Amsterdam and in Nuth.

Manfred Koster of the Netherlands has been endeavoring to save and restore some prime examples of these unique heaters, and with his help I have been able to find wicks to fit them so they can continue to be used as intended.

[Note:  Haller heaters were made in The Netherlands.  There is no apparent connection with Haller stoves made  by Georg Haller Co of Ottensen, Germany.]

Wicks for the heaters below are available here. 
Haller/Saffire 12 page owner's manual in British English.
(Thanks to Ray Albrow, who made the scans.)

Haller - Ditmar - Saffire
The "Ditmar Demon" was made in Austria and is shown as a comparison for size.

Haller - Valor - Saffire
The Valor was made in England and is shown for comparison of size.

The Haller Heater

The very unique Haller blue flame heater. Elegant simplicity and beauty.

Above left, a "Haller" heater.  Center, the Haller blue flame closeup.  Above right is a "Haller Saf-e-fire," apparently a later model.  The fuel tanks appears identical, but the Haller tank is brass and the Saf-e-fire tank is steel.  The top plate is not as rounded as the earlier model on the left and the Safe-e-fire is not as tall.

 

Haller vs Saf-e-fire

The heater tank may have a small metal tag that says "Saffire Made in Holland" and the glass may say "Haller" on one side and on the other say "Jena_er Suprax Glas Made in Germany."  The heater on the right appears to be a transition model, marked "Saf-e-fire Made in Holland" on the tag. 

Haller and Saffire heaters used a twisting system to raise and lower the wick, with the entire top of the heater being turned.  The ring shown at left is slipped off the old wick, slipped over the new wick, and reinstalled.  The Saffire was made in the same factory, but with a slightly different name: "N. V. Koninklijke Kamper Emaillefabrieken v / h H. Berk & Zoon".  Wicks are available here.

Tank spring: the wick raises and lowers by twisting the top of the heater.

Wick in lowest position.  Note the flame spreader.

Wick in highest position.

A very unique and beautiful Haller combination stove/heater, shown disassembled. 

Photo courtesy of Manfred Koster.

The Facetta Radiant Heater

Shown above is a Facetta radiant heater. The Facetta was probably made in Kampen in the Netherlands. The company was named "N. V. Koninklijke Kamper Metaalwaren-fabriek v / h H. Berk & Zoon"  and used the same wick as the Haller and Safe-e-fire.  This is the only radiant flame spreader heater I have ever seen other than the AGA (below).  Click photos to enlarge.                   Photos courtesy of Manfred Koster

AGA Heaters

This is a small flame spreader radiant heater with a shielded back, so it could be placed closer to a wall.  Note the very rare heating wire coil.  Heating coils have been used above the catalytic converter on some heaters, but rarely in conjunction with a flame spreader.  The hot heating coil acts as a secondary combustion unit, resulting in a cleaner, more efficient burn, and a thick lens on top concentrates the heat straight up to sustain an excellent convection cycle.

Photo courtesy of Manfred Koster

Note the unique design - a flame spreader radiant heater with the shape of a convection heater!

The brilliance and ingenuity of design of heaters made in The Netherlands is illustrated by the AGA heater at left.  This heater uses the same burner and wick as the AGA above, captures that heat in an oil filled radiator, and then radiates the moderated heat into a room long after the heater is turned off.  Mounted on wheels, the heater can easily be rolled from one room to another.

Photo courtesy of Manfred Koster

Finally, a photo of my AGA and Saf-e-fire heaters.  The beauty and simplicity of these heaters from the Netherlands is readily apparent.  Thank you, Manfred!

Heaters owned and photographed by Miles Stair

Wicks for the heaters on this page are available here.

 

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