Miner's Lamp?

I was at a store today that sells antiques and movie props and I came away with this antique lamp. The tag just said "miner's lamp" and the cashier couldn't tell me any more than that.

I did a Google image search for miner lamps but I couldn't find anything that looked quite like this one. There's no brand stamp on it. It's a non-electric lamp so it must be reasonably old. The lens angles noticeably upward so I think it's probably a belt mounted lamp rather than helmet mounted. And it's hard to see but it's actually got red side windows in addition to the main lens.

Can anyone tell me about this piece? Thanks!

 

You might want to provide a few more pictures at different angles plus a picture of the inside.

Welcome to antiquers, btw.

 

Hi,
I agree with Tie Dye. Looks like it might be a carbide lamp.
greg

 

Welcome!
Looks like one to me.

 

Thanks for the responses. Here are some additional pics!

 

Yes looks like an old carbide lamp but not from miners as the flame would ignite underground gasses - Maybe a hand held old time car lamp to light the way??

 

Thanks for the input guys, I do believe I found it. Not a miner's lamp at all, it's a vintage German bicycle headlight.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...-LAMP-/172133804917+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

 

It is indeed an antique carbide bicycle lamp. I've seen loads of these at flea-markets. They work the same way as a miner's carbide lamp - the shape is just different, is all.

Clean it up, fill it with carbide and water, light the gas.

 

maybe you don't want to light the gas , without standing back a few yards..

 

It's not that extreme.

You fill the lower cannister with calcium carbide, you fill the top with water. There's a switch or dial which you turn to adjust the rate of waterflow. You turn it on low, light the gas, and then you crank the dial up. The water flow increases and the gas increases, and that makes the light shine bright.

 

The little springs on the mount were intended to insulate the lamp a bit from the bumps in the road.

 

Not carbide.

 

Looks like an Oil Lamp to me.

 

Now that I know the brand name (Haeckel) I'm finding more pictures of these. There seems to be some difference of opinion on whether they are carbide or kerosene.

 

It has a wick, it must be an oil lamp, but the burner appear to be sideways if that last picture is with the front hinged open. The wick should be upright.

 

The wick is loose in there, I haven't yet figured out how to re-mount it.

 

Here is a query about a Haeckel's lamp similar if not the same as yours on Lamp Guild forum.
http://lampguild.org/QandApage/archives/Q0004708.php

--- Susan

 

Kind of looks oil to me as well. Is that a pump on the side? Looks like the same as on camping stoves to maintain pressure.