I won’t be taking just the liquid-fuelled lanterns to the Newark meet-up next month, but butane ones too. Some quite old for a butane lamp (late 1940’s in the case of the Lilor, at the back far left) and much more recent ones (the glossy black Darth Vader helmet-like Campingaz Stellias). John
So many diverse styles john you dont realise till you see a group together like have here Cheers pete
@Jean J @pete sav The classic lamps and lanterns hit some real high spots for innovative design and manufacturing excellence (overlooking stress-cracked founts maybe) for decades but I feel that however functional, their liquid-fuelled modern descendants don’t break new ground. The designers of butane lanterns on the other hand had a clean sheet without the constricting requirements of pressurising air above liquid fuel or producing vapourised fuel. Certainly a diversity of styles. Veritas and Tilley, Italian, French (L to R). I think the latter two have the edge in terms of sophisticated design. The Jet Gaz (France) can be converted from lantern to two-burner stove. Not to be outdone, Veritas achieved the same transformation with interchangeable stove and lantern attachments powered by the enclosed butane gas cartridge. The Lilor’s a sizable lantern, alongside a Tilley here. Quite loud too! I think it’s now out of production, but the Campingaz Stellia has a lot going for it. It incorporates a reflector to give directional light … … which can be lowered if not required. Together with my Lucas carbide hand lamp a Stellia with the smaller gas canister will be handy for getting around the Newark camp site at night.
The gas cartridge lamps and stoves was the end of the liquid fuel stuff for most except for enthusiasts. So easy n quick to light little maintaince and reliable. When i first started camping with kids on holidays i used gas lamps and heaters. Then one night a old chap was camped in the field and he had a lamp that was way better than my campingaz lamp lit the corner of the field up. Well it turned out to be a tilley 246 so next carboot i went to i had to get one so i was converted to fueled type user from then on Cheers pete
… and the rest is history, as they say. You’ve told me how you and Mick (Emm) would do the car boot’s together, snapping stuff up. How did Mick’s enthusiasm for the lamps arise, do you know? He always had a soft spot for the gassie stuff I think you said.
John, you are acquiring quite a collection of butane and propane lanterns. They look quite good together.
@presscall Hi john mick used to work around scotland he stayed in a cottage at one point no electric so all lighting was tilleys used to light the wall lamp first just inside the door. Mick always been into buying and selling all his family too. He could buy lamps for very little give them a polish and sell them at antique fairs make a few quid that was his driving force at first. His intrest in lamps grew from then on like, became his main intrest in life meeting other collectors looking for something new his knowledge of lamps grew over the years grew been a good mate had lots of laughs over the years. Yes he liked gas stuff too did have some at home somewhere and always took it out camping at shows n trips. Cheers pete
@pete sav Thanks for the recollections Pete. The tale of that cottage in Scotland lit by a Tilley wall lamp conjures up a fine picture indeed. So, collecting arising out of necessity for Mick and an introduction to Tilleys resulting from a campsite encounter for you. I’m glad I remembered correctly Mick’s fondness for gassies on occasion. I couldn’t be in better company. John
