VENTURIAN CORP
SC 13G, 1998-08-18
COMPUTERS & PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE
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<PAGE>
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13G
                                (Rule 13d-102)

            INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
             TO RULES 13d-1(b), (c) AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO
                        FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b)

                             Venturian Corporation
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Name of Issuer)
                                                                               
                    Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Title of Class of Securities)
                                                                               
                                   923304109
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (CUSIP Number)
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                August 18, 1997
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


     Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
     Schedule is filed:

     [_]  Rule 13d-1(b)
     [x]  Rule 13d-1(c)
     [_]  Rule 13d-1(d)


The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).


                               Page 1 of 7 Pages
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE 13G
- -------------------------                                  ---------------------
CUSIP No. 923304109                                            Page 2 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------                                  ---------------------
 
1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
     
     White Dwarf Partners, L.P.
     36-4143199
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*  (a)[x]
                                                        (b)[_]
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    SEC USE ONLY
 
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
     Delaware Limited Partnership
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF        5   SOLE VOTING POWER    
SHARES         --------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY     6   SHARED VOTING POWER 56,274 Shares   
OWNED BY       --------------------------------------------------------------
EACH             7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER              
REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH      8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 56,274 Shares
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     56,274 Shares
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
     CERTAIN SHARES*                                              [_]

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

     5.0%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     PN
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE 13G

- -------------------------                                  ---------------------
CUSIP No. 923304109                                          Page 3 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------                                  ---------------------

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
     Pluto L.L.C.
     36-4143196
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*  (a)[x]
                                                        (b)[_]
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    SEC USE ONLY

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Illinois Limited Liability Company
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF        5  SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES         --------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY     6  SHARED VOTING POWER    56,274 Shares      
OWNED BY       --------------------------------------------------------------
EACH             7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER                   
REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH      8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER    56,274 Shares 
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     56,274 Shares
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
     CERTAIN SHARES*                                        [_]

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

     5.0%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     OO
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
 
Item 1(a)  Name of Issuer:

           Venturian Corporation, a Minnesota corporation ("Venturian").

Item 1(b)  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

           11111 Excelsior Boulevard, Hopkins, MN 55343.

Item 2(a)  Name of Persons Filing:

           White Dwarf Partners, L.P. ("White Dwarf"), and Pluto L.L.C.
           ("Pluto"). Pluto is the general partner of White Dwarf, a private
           investment fund.

Item 2(b)  Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:

           The principal business office of White Dwarf and Pluto is located at
           225 W. Washington St., Suite 1650, Chicago, IL 60606.

Item 2(c)  Citizenship:

           White Dwarf is a Delaware limited partnership and Pluto is an 
           Illinois limited liability company.

Item 2(d)  Title of Class of Securities:

           Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of Venturian (the "Common 
           Stock").

Item 2(e)  CUSIP Number:
           923304109
 
Item 3     If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or
           (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

           (a) [_] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange 
                   Act;

           (b) [_] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act;

           (c) [_] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the 
                   Exchange Act;

           (d) [_] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the
                   Investment Company Act;

           (e) [_] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)
                   (E);

           (f) [_] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
                   Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

           (g) [_] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
                   Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

                               Page 4 of 7 Pages
 
<PAGE>
 
           (h) [_] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the 
                   Federal Deposit Insurance Act; 
                   
           (i) [_] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                   investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
                   Company Act;

           (j) [_] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
 
           If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this 
           box.  [X]
 
Item 4.    Ownership.

           Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and
           percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in
           Item 1.

           (a)   Amount beneficially owned:

                 56,274 shares of Common Stock (the "Shares")

           (b)   Percent of class:

                 5.0%
 
           (c)   Number of shares as to which such person has:
           (i)   Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:  None
           (ii)  Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 56,274 Shares
           (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:  None
           (iv)  Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 56,274
                 Shares
                 
Item 5.    Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

           Not applicable.

Item 6.    Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

           Peter Pride Trust, as the sole and managing member of Pluto, controls
Pluto and has the right to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds
from the sale of, the Shares. Messrs. Thomas Goodman and Peter Foreman are
trustees of the Peter Pride Trust.

Item 7.    Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
           the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

           Not applicable.

                               Page 5 of 7 Pages
<PAGE>
 
Item 8.    Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

           Not applicable.

Item 9.    Notice of Dissolution of Group.

           Not applicable.

Item 10.   Certifications.

           By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for
the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.


                               Page 6 of 7 Pages
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and
correct.

Dated:  August 18, 1998


PLUTO L.L.C.


By:  Peter Pride Trust


     By: /s/ Peter Foreman
         ----------------------------
         Peter Foreman, Trustee



WHITE DWARF PARTNERS, L.P.


By:  Pluto L.L.C., its general partner


By:  Peter Pride Trust


     By: /s/ Peter Foreman
         ----------------------------
         Peter Foreman, Trustee
 
 
                               Page 7 of 7 Pages


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