Hello fellow lampies, I’m writing this from the summerhouse in the garden where I’m enjoying a beer with the stove lit and reading a good book under the light of a KL80. I bought a repro heat spreader for it from eBay. It arrived from Taiwan within 4 days, which I thought was quite amazing. Anyway does anyone know how good these reprise are? It seems to do the job for now but it would be nice to get an original. Also what’s the difference between the round disc and the crinkle type I see in old photos? Is it just down to aesthetic preference? Regards
If I recall correctly, the heat deflector which you are using was introduced in the 1950's, but the disc is the same moulding as the enamelled steel heat deflector on the first X-246 lanterns. The crinkly ones are older, but they both do the same job. A fine light up!
Thanks Jeff! Interestingly these lamps tend to go for quite a lot of money despite the relative simplicity in design and construction. Is that because they have now become rarer/ harder to find than other models dating from the same period?
Hello Alex, here is a little more information, in my opinion, KL=Kitchen lamp and two of those lamps hung over a large kitchen table or work areas would have been plenty of light. I'm not certain why they are now fetching such outrageous prices, but they are a popular lamp even with most of the SWMBOs!
Ah!! Of course. KL = kitchen lamp! But sWMBOs?? I’m still sat outside under the lamp... all good so far!
Earlier crinkle 'leaf' design ... I believe was standard on the earlier more angular frame (not the later harp shape) I don't see why the actual performance of the deflector should be any different. Yeah the price! wow..£300 - £500 for a complete setup, not that I'd pay that..and yes, they are pretty and I'd agree with the analogy that the other halves particularly like these.
I was just trying to remember when I last bought a complete KL80, it must be a few years now. The conversion lamps themselves turn up regularly though.
The straight leg KL80 frame seems to drop out by 1935. All the catalogues from 1936 to 1952 show the rounded harp but still with the crinkle heat deflector. The round deflector first appears in a 1955 catalogue. Those dates are not reliable though because Tilley often used old images in their catalogues so changes in design may be earlier than they appear to be in the paper. ::Neil::
Thanks guys for all your replies. I have now managed to solve a slight pressure loss issue on this lamp. It looks great hung up in the garden and will be very useful in summer.
