Featured Finds Thread

Bev about 10 years ago a lady I work with knew I was a dealer and said her mom had some nice jewelry and brought it in. I knew not about D & E etc it as a gaudy watermelon rhinestone bracelet, I posted to the jewelry board, paid 35 which was more than the norm for me. It sold for 275 buckers. I was blown away

 

>Patented 1868. $5 don't know anything about it except it's a fluid burner<

The shape of this hand lamp looks like a Neville patent lamp. What is the exact patent date on the wick winder? Neville of Ontario, Canada, "obtained 2 patents for improvements in the lamps... Nov. 23, 1868 and May 14, 1868, and included patent drawings of kerosene lamps ..." These burners were later called pet rachet round wick burners and the actual lamps were somethimes called planters hand lamps. They were made from the 1860s to probably the 1890s. These lamps were designed to be used without chimneys. They were used with kerosene.

Here's an ad that includes a similar lamp with a pet ratchet round wick burner - planters hand lamp.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1904-AD-Que...lanters-Hand-Lamps-Dietz-Globes-/151220950971

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Antq-Hand...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Bra...853?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58c10cb65d

--- Susan

 

I was thinking alcohol lamp rather than kerosene (paraffin to you Brits), and more of a work flame than a lamp per se.

 

>I was thinking alcohol lamp rather than kerosene (paraffin to you Brits), and more of a work flame than a lamp per se.<

At the time I wrote my reply above, I was in a rush and didn't have time to go into details on possible fuel. I have seen them referred to as kerosene lamps and to "benzo lamps in the U.K. and they burned benzoline." Other places I have read they could burn kerosene or fluid. From what I quoted above about Neville patent lamp "drawings of kerosene lamps" is from Thuro's OL, I, p. 60. She has a pic of 2 of Neville lamps. Am including a scan of them at the end of this reply. The reference to benzoline was a posting on the International Lamp Guild website in Oct. 2001. As I had just come in possession of a later model of these lamps, called a Planters hand lamp, I was interested in the replies. I saved a copy of one of the replies. This was posted by an English member of that website:

"I don't know what you call these lamps elsewhere, but they are known as benzo lamps in the U.K. and they burned benzoline. They were stuffed with wool to prevent explosion as the fuel vaporized very readily, and of course had a cap and chain to prevent evaporation off the wick. They were sold up to the 1930's.The Liverpool Lamp & Hardware Catalogue 1904 and the Sherwoods Catalogue 1930's (both reproduced) illustrate quite a few models which resemble this one very closely. I believe paraffin is the nearest practical replacement fuel today as everything else is unsafe or hazardous to health (or both)."

The lamp of that query was the later model Planter's Hand Lamp that were produced 40 years later than the Neville lamps. Several companies made the later model Planter's like P & A and E. Miller and Company to name a couple. The overall design, shape, of the OP's lamp resembles the Neville lamps. That is why I specifically asked for the complete patent date. Thuro says Neville's lamps were patented in Nov. 1865 and May 1866. The OP says hers is 1868. If by any chance the month on hers is Nov or May then there is a good chance the year is 1865 or 1866 rather than 1868.

Here is a query about this type of lamp on the Lamp Guild website:
http://lampguild.org/QandApage/archives/Q0006494.php

If yours does not have a 1865 or 1866 patent date then it is probably not a Neville. It also doesn't have the round attached handle and the top of the burner doesn't appear as flat as a Neville. Also yours has the cap. All the Neville's I've seen didn't have a cap and looked like they never had one. That surprises me, for have never seen a fluid lamp that didn't have a cap at one time to keep the fluid from evaporating. Nowww a kerosene lamp doesn't need a cap. I suspect yours is a later model by whom, I don't know.

--- Susan

The 2 on the left are shaped like yours. The one on the right is a later model, planters' hand lamp, similar to what I have.

 

Thanks for all the info. Under further inspection with a magnifying glass the patent date is June 23 1863 on the thumb wheel. On the under side is 2 lines of lettering in a circle.
Outside ring reads: PAT May 8 _ _ _ _ BLACK_AN
inside ring reads: R_ _ SS _AR 19 1863
I'm thinking R _ _ SS is abbreviated reissue

 

>On the under side is 2 lines of lettering in a circle.
Outside ring reads: PAT May 8 _ _ _ _ BLACK_AN
inside ring reads: R_ _ SS _AR 19 1863
I'm thinking R _ _ SS is abbreviated reissue<

My, my now isn't the interesting!!! I have a "Skater's Lamp" AKA "Church Going" lamp of my Grandmother's that has the same patent info without the Blackman name.

"PAT, MAY 8, 1855 REISSUED MARCH 19, 1867."

My lamp is a small lantern about 7" tall with an attached chain and loop ring at the top. It does not have a pet ratchet burner. The cone adjustable air vents of the burner has a patent date of 1867. My grandmother actually used it for ice skating in the evenings and walking to church on Sunday evenings in the 1880s. Just got my lamp out again. Lo and behold, the font with handle looks similar to yours - not identical. This does not include the burner.

I have found that your patent info should read:
"PAT May 8, 1855 BLACKMAN
REISSUE AR 19 1863"

The actual maker or these lamps is very very very confusing. 1st of all there is no patent issued to a Blackman on May 8, 1855 or a reissue to a Blackman. On those dates a patent was issued to and then reissued to a Chamberlain on that date in 1863. The 1867 air cone of mine was a patent issued to a Beebe. The overall maker of my lamp was the Manhattan Brass Co. Some have speculated that Beebe was an agent of the Manhattan Brass Co. No one knows why in the world Blackman's name is printed on many many brass lamps of these types when the patent as issued to a Chamberlain.

This may help on ID'ing the maker of yours for it appears the patents were owned or leased to Manhattan Brass Co. in order for them to produce my lamp; therefore, I presume for your lamp also unless they allowed other companies to use the patent like to make your lamp??? I really don't know how the patents worked back then. No doubt the font of yours is from the same patent as mine. Really the only reason the Manhattan Brass Co. has been pointed out as the maker of mine is that there were ads of of my lantern. Thuro's Oil Lamps 3, p. 214, has one of the Manhattan Brass Co. ads of my lantern. On the same page is a pic of my lantern. The following is a finished auction for a lantern just like mine. Do note the shape of the font and the handle. More or less what I have tried to explain above is in the description of the lamp. It is confusing, but maybe you can better understand it all from there rather than my explanation. You need to scroll down the page a bit to see the description and to see all the pics. Be sure to see the pic of the bottom of the lamp for the circles/rings of the patent info. The Manhattan Brass Co. Ad is at the bottom of the page.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCARCE-Antique-Brass-Skater-Lantern-Mini-Oil-Lamp-H1-99-/170595639369?ru=http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=170595639369&_rdc=1&nma=true&si=%2F7vKWUJ4932E4vXXCHDoX1Wv%2F3I%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

--- Susan

 

Thanks Lady. Just a little trivia about myself. I went to the eye doc and found that I have cataracts, and glaucoma so the eyes are iffy at times. after re-examining the reissue date it is 1867, I assumed the line at the top of the 7 was a 3. I did not photograph it but the inside is packed with a fiber of sorts with only a tube the size of the opening running from top to bottom that has none. The tube has what might be 3/8" holes punched in it.

I have Thuro's II, any recommendations of other resources. I buy, sell, refurbish, repair and repurpose antique/vintage lamps and lighting. I tried the USPTO site but not sure I was using it correctly.

Here's my $3 estate find skater's lamp(?). No markings.

 

>I went to the eye doc and found that I have cataracts, and glaucoma so the eyes are iffy at times<

I'm so sorry. I can sympathize. I also have had cataract surgery that was not that successful because the cataract was very very unusual. 3 ophthalmologists think I was actual born with it because it was 1st discovered when I was 12 years old. They all say it may be possible to go back into that eye and double up on the implanted lens but that runs the risks of torn retina, etc.... Rather than risk all that, I'm living with it. In the last 10 year another one is developing in my other eye. I noticed I messed up on the dates of some of those patents in my replies. I haven't time today to go back and check the sources for the dates. This is just a quick note to say your $3 estate find skater's lamp is just the burner, glass globe, and top air draft thingy. It is missing the font.

1. Thuro's OL I, p. 57, f. g has a similar lantern
2. Thuro's OL 3, p. 215 has several pics of Manhattan Brass Co. small "skater's," "church going," small hurricane lanterns. They all seem to have patent info on the cones /air draft control, glass, bottom or thumbwheels. The is one similar to this one of yours.
3. The Smiths' miniature lamps books are full of small brass lamps. Smith's Miniature Lamps II, pp. 36-41, have several of these small lanterns with a couple of them similar to yours in the shape of the glass globe/shade.

>any recommendations of other resources.<

1. Thuro's Oil Lamps books.
2. Smiths' miniature lamp books
3. Hulsebus miniature lamp books
4. McDonald's Evolution of the Night Lamp
5. Reproduced oil lamp catalogs
Follow is a line to the site I bought all my reproduced Oil lamp catalogs. It appears the site isn't selling them anymore, but there is a list of websites that and a listing of the catalogs.
http://www.sirlampsalot.com/
6. Books or catalogs of Dietz lamps.
7. Get familiar with such oil lamp websites as
a. The International Guild of Lamp Researchers
http://lampguild.org/index.php?QADefault.shtml&1
http://lampguild.org/QandApage/index.php
b. http://www.thelampworks.com/index.html
c. http://www.collectlamps.com/index.htm
d. http://lanternnet.com/

Geee, the list goes on and on....

--- Susan

 

Found this nice little Chase Chrome Art Deco Cream and Sugar today. Has 2 Plates with it used as underplates, but I think they are something else. The plates are 6 1/4" across.

 

Hi,
Great set. Bet the handles are Bakelite. Careful I see your red teeshirt.
greg

 

I know.....I couldn't figure out how to photograph them without showing up in the photo......At least I wasn't Nekkid.

 

(phew) (LOL)

 

that could of been real scary or funny....
We had the crazy weather too so yesterday was a bust even though I went to swap no one was out, a few snow flakes and 60's last week
But I forced myself out into the cold lol this morn and found some goods
I hope this ram's head is authentic, 1.3 ounces and little gold cross earrings
25 for this lot

 

side view of the ram, could be fake but Im not feelin that lol

 

I wonder what the leaf and eagle claw mean....if anything, odd
Oh this was in the lot for 25....Im going back to see that young lady...
Kramer the pin top screws off to wear different I guess..

 

((glorp)) I think you scored on that Kramer set. Oh and the ram. If that's 14K the current scrap is over $800...(LOL) I think the bird thing is just a bird thing. I had a letter opener that looked about the same. It was just a funky design.

 

These were all from one garage sale on the way to work so glad I did a ueee lol

 

Everyone hits one of those about once a year, if we keep looking. We hope for more, but ... dang, that's a score. It'll keep you looking for a while.

 

Thats true, like a box of chocolates....yep just depends on if it's your lucky day or not, course not positive yet

Here are what I picked at the swap
antique hand bag a little more jewelry, stirrup cup, I think that pink vase is a saki vase ( the lady said it had 2 little cups she couldn't find) and misc
Havn't looked for the japanese plate, don't tell me, gotta find it myself if I can, Japanese.....

 

Mymysharona, are there any marks on the bulldog pin?

I'm wondering if he is "Handsome Dan" (the longtime Yale University mascot).

http://www.yalebulldogs.com/information/mascot/handsome_dan/index