Price: $2,500
Forged in the roaring forges of the Garland Stove Company during the 1890s, this exquisite parlor heater exemplifies Victorian-era craftsmanship with its swirling Art Nouveau filigree, fan-like hood, and ornate paw feet. Model 16D delivers efficient radiant heat through a glowing firebox framed in jewel-toned mica panels, warming spaces up to 800 sq ft with natural or propane gas.
A timeless gem that once graced Chicago boarding houses and Midwest homesteads, it evokes the flicker of gaslight evenings and whispered secrets by the hearth.
One flame. One era. Eternal elegance.
Backstory
Elsie Duesing bought the Gem Garland 16D in 1894 with her first teaching paycheck—$28 cash, carried home on a sled through a Detroit blizzard. She set it in the corner of her one-room schoolhouse on Mackinac Island, where the nickel filigree caught the morning light off the straits and the mica windows glowed like stained glass for thirty wide-eyed pupils.
On the last day of term she’d let the fire burn low, trace a finger through the soot on the hood, and tell the children, “This stove remembers every story you read aloud.”
When Elsie retired in 1927, the school board auctioned the building; the stove went to her nephew, then to a lakeside cottage, then to a barn, then—miraculously—back to Elsie’s great-grandniece in 2023.
Today it sits in a sunroom, still wearing the faint outline of a child’s chalk handprint on the base. Light the burner and you can almost hear Elsie’s voice: “Class begins when the flames settle.”
Restoration Details
Our restoration process focuses on preserving historical authenticity while enhancing each stove’s functionality. Key restoration features include:
- Replated Nickel Trim & Decorative Finials – Polished to their original brilliance.
- Hand-Poured Cast Iron Components – Carefully cleaned, treated, and reassembled.
- Functional Heating Capability – Restored to provide practical warmth if desired.
- Authentic Detailing – Intricate engravings and clawfoot bases skillfully restored.
This stove is ready to serve as a functional appliance and stunning focal point in any home, business, or historical display.
Current Location
This stove is currently displayed at: JNT Company
Would you like to see it in person? Feel free to visit or contact us for more information.
