This page presents odd or unusual lanterns. If you have information
or comments about any of these, email
us via the Contact Us page.
| "Top-Fount"
Lantern. The
following was sent to our Q&A Board in the Fall of 2006: "I'm writing
to see if anyone out there has ever come across a lantern of this
sort... I salvaged this from a house built in that sort of 1920's
'Medieval Style' in Berkeley, Ca. that was being renovated. It so
unusual I thought it worthwhile saving. I've never seen another.
It is an Adams & Westlake
lantern, and I think it must be the model #11, as there is no other
model designation on it. Typical #39 globe size, and as a lantern
not all that unusual. It once had two horizontal guards, but now
only one. It was electrified, so there is no globe retainer or other
'guts' in it. It was painted black way back when. It is clearly stamped
'Santa Fe A', on the brim of the top, visible from underneath. But
here's the peculiar part: On top of the brim has been affixed a fuel
tank! It is very nicely designed and well-made, has a filler cap
and a little pipe out the back that would carry the heated oil down
a tiny clamp-on tube to the burner below. there is an appropriate
hole in the back of the fount area to accomodate the tube. Most likely,
the tube ran into a regular oil fount at the bottom which had a normal
burner, but this is speculation. I don't think it was a carbide conversion.
Has anybody else ever come across one of these? Was this fascinating
addition done by the factory, or was it an inventor's experiment...?
Thanks." Click on any image below for a larger version. |
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Reliable with "Vesta" Globe. Shown at
right is an Adlake "Reliable" wire
base lantern with a small "Vesta" size globe marked "USA".
The lantern itself has no railroad markings.The lantern seems
designed exactly for a 4-1/2" globe as
the top globe retainer is small and perfect fit. Normal "Reliables"
take a tall 5-5/8" globe
which is too large for this one. See our Reliables page.
This lantern is discussed in Question #794 on our Q&A
Board. Click on any image for a larger version. Photos by Jim
Wright. |
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| Short Globe "Casey". Above Left. The
lantern on the left appears to be a short globe "Casey" lantern.
It is shown next to a regular tall-globe "Casey". What
is unusual is that normal "Casey's" are "tall-globe" lanterns.
Was this a special sample model? A fake? Update: We received the following in Summer, 2009: "About 10 years ago I saw another short globe Keystone Lantern, but this didn't have the drop font, Instead it had an insert font. PRR bought tall lanterns from Keystone called "The Keystone", instead of the Casey that had an insert font. This shorty I saw looked like a derivative of that particular lantern. That lantern was not RR marked and I looked it over and over, trying to figure if it was redone by someone. I always regretted not buying that curiosity piece. I believe your example and the one I saw were legitimate. Apparently few were manufactured. {Thanks to Bob F.} Above Right. Closeup
thumbnails from various angles. Click on any image for larger versions.
The owner added these comments: "The upper globe retainer is
identical to an Adlake Kero, it is held in with the original tall
globe retainer flat tabs. The cage does not show any sign of modification.
With the Kero retainer I lean towards it being modified, although
it could also have been an easy way for Keystone ( Perkins Marine
Lamp Co.) to experiment with the short globe." |
| Odd Bail Mount. Right. The
lantern at right has a C.T. Ham #39" brass top and C.T. Ham
twist-off fount. However, the "loops" on the side that
attach to the bail are normally found only on Handlan tall-globe
lanterns. These loops were a Handlan feature. A number of examples
can be seen on our Handlan
tall-globe lantern page. So were parts of two lanterns assembled
into one by a hobbyist? Or did Handlan make lanterns for C.T. Ham
at some point under a subcontract, perhaps using C.T. Ham tops and
bottoms? Such subcontracting arrangements were not uncommon among
lantern manufacturers. |
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| Comment on Above
Sent by Email. "The loop-style frame bail attachment
on the Ham BTWB [Brass Top Wire Bottom] lantern shown in "oddities" was
used by several manufacturers besides those manufactured by Buck.
Many collectors cite the looped verticals as distinguishing and
exclusive to Buck lanterns, but not so. For example, this scheme
was used on some models of early removable-globe lanterns manufactured
by Parmelee and Bonnell and others. Barrett's book shows a B&MRR
BTBB [Brass Top Bell Bottom] manufactured by P&B that has this
feature. I have an odd, early LS&MS Ry BTBB made by P&B,
a BTBB made by RR Signal L&L Co., and an early LE&StL RY
BTBB of unknown manufacture all using the looped verticals to attach
the frame-mounted bail. This method of attaching the bail to the
frame seems very simple and effective, and may pre-date any other
scheme (??) Although early removable globe lanterns with chimney
bail attachments are very eye-appealing and desirable to collectors,
they relied on the reflector hinge and latch spring wire guide
solder joints to hold the lid secure and were undoubtedly not reliable
in service. " A.S., 5-31-05, |
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Left. There are a couple unusual
things about the Armspear "1925" lantern shown at left
-- marked "C&O Ry" for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. It has a "switchman's" bail
-- the rounded wooden handle; the top appears to be plated with a
harder metal (nickel?) than the usual "tin"; and it has
a label for "H.I.
Shelton" attached
to the lid. Was the plating done by the factory? Is this likely a
low-tech presentation lantern or some employee's customized lantern?
Click on any image for larger versions. |
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Comment on Above Sent by Email. I have
seen several of these lanterns. Some of them
have employee names, like a presentation lantern, and others have "The
George Washington", "The Sportsman", or "The F.F.V." in place of
the names.The top is completely made out of Nickel plated brass(magnet
does not stick). These are quite rare. I have also seen one that
someone had bead blasted (which ruined it), and so by seeing that
I know for sure it is brass. The Handle is not wood, it is something
like plastic or bakelite. I bought this very lantern
off of E-bay.
Also, the whole frame is plated with something other than the
usual tin. Its a matte gray kind of stuff, maybe Cadmium. Also, I
have seen an Adlake Kero, top chromed, labeled with "The Sportsman" on
the chimney. I do not know if the top on it was brass or not, it
was on E-bay as well, but unfortunately I was not the lucky bidder.
All of these Armspears I have seen usually had clear etched C&O
kero globes in them.
All in all, a very desirable, interesting C&O lantern. - Tom Clay 8-22-06 |
| More odd lanterns
are shown below..... |
| Here is a picture of a factory made Handlan
bellbottom with a 4 1/4 globe. Believe it or not, the gold paint
was also factory done at the request of Wabash. Do not know any other
railroads ordered these nor have I seen this in a Handlan catalog
but I have not seen that many Handlan catalogs. The lid is marked "WABASH" and
the globe is etched "WABASH". Click on the image for a
larger version. Collection of Bill Kajdzik |
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Here is a "shop" made bellbottom
made from a couple of short globe Adlake Keros. The lid and the "bell" are
stamped "ICRR" and the globe id also etched ICRR. The fount
is also custom made. Click on the image for a larger version. Collection
of Bill Kajdzik
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| "Short Reliable". While the A&W "Reliable" is normally a "tall globe" lantern, a collector sent us pictures of a short globe version in the Summer of 2011 -- to accompany question #2168 on our Q&A Board. |
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| Another "Short Reliable". Below are pictures of another short Reliable sent in by Ken Andrews. He writes, "This one is marked for the Pennsylvania System. The frame and globe retainer are Adlake 250, the top is a Reliable. The pot is unmarked but has a brass kero type burner marked "1925", My thought is that the Pennsy wanted short globe lanterns marked for the Pennsylvania System and this was the easiest way for Adlake to furnish them. I might add that at one time I had in my collection a lantern with a PRR Kero top on a Reliable frame. I'm positive it was not something put together by a collector. We also have the PRR Keystone 39's which were factory modified to take a Handlan 4 1/2" globe. The "Standard Railroad of the World" wasn't always standard." -Ken Andrews [Thanks, Ken!] |
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