Hi all, I've got what I believe is a V2 model 3. Some of you may have seen it on the bay, I'm surprised it went fairly cheap. I haven't cleaned it up yet I need to get some more evapo rust. The only issue I had was a slight leak at the valve wheel which I sorted with some graphite ribbon. The one on the left is the V2 it's got less holes and no locator pin for the hood.Small holes in the collar and appears to have been a gold colour originally
@Brian Reynolds , hello Brian, Handi Kero Pet lanterns are very cool, the one on the right is older than the one on the left, you have a type / model 3.look in the lantern gallery, you will find so good reading and great pictures of fettled handi’s Handi swiftlite v1 Handi swiftlite v2 Handi kero pet type and many variations, have a read get to know your Handi
@Darryl Durkin hi Darryl, yes I've had a fair old read which is how I came to the conclusion the one on the left is the older one: the collar has no plate and small perferations, the top of the hood is smaller, and there's no locating pin on the burner frame for the hood and no hole in the hood either pretty much the same as this one: HANDI an Australian Made Lantern – Fettle
A couple of questions to narrow down which version you have. 1. Is there a patent number in the burner casting? 2. Is it possible to get a better picture of the flame spreader? Seeing that you have shown a picture of the lamp alight, that might not be possible. I need to know if it has a ceramic insert with holes, a small hole with wire mesh or a steel plate with holes. I think I can almost make out the type with the small hole and wire mesh. @Darryl Durdin The base plate with the extra holes was introduced in 1954, so is newer than the other lamp.
@Nils Stephenson , I was looking at the screw on air tube feet, I was thinking they came before the pressed in ring tubes, they don’t have the amg burner
I’ve found one with screw on AirTunes with the small rind and flat nut underneath The base plate has holes only in the centre ring Now I’ve found one with small hole collar with badge, screw down air tube feet base plate with lots of holes its confusing
Your not wrong about it being confusing. I was lucky to get a lot of information from Albert White (Handi Albert) some years ago, so can answer some of the questions. The first lamp you show above with the ring and nut air tube connection belongs to the first 4 (or 5) variations of the KeroPet from about 1940 to 1953. The next one you show with what I call the flange and two screw fitting started in 1953. The first ones were on the base plate with only the central ring of holes, but from 1954 the base plate had the outer ring of holes as well. The collar on the second lamp is quite likely not original to the lamp. By the time of that tripod and cage base they had gone over to the collar with the large holes (started around 1947). The collar with the small holes with that label probably belongs to the second variation from around 1945 to 1947. Actually it would match quite well if you swapped the collars over.
Hi @Nils Stephenson I have to go into town in the morning and will report when I get back home. I'll sacrifice the mantle and have a look, I think it had a small hole with wire mesh but can't be sure from memory and will look for numbers Cheers all
@Nils Stephenson yes it has a patent number and small hole with screen, also appears to have a copper tank Cheers
With the info I have, that would make it the second variation which was around from 1945 to 1947. Any sign of there ever being a label on the collar like the one Darryl shows above?
@Nils Stephenson no sign at all and it appears it was a gold type colour originally. Thanks for the help, really appreciate it Cheers
I wonder if the gold colour could be a varnish that has yellowed with age. I am pretty sure that the collars were originally galvanised or tinned.
It's hard to say, I tried to get a decent photo but it's too hard in this light, I'll have to try tomorrow in daylight. On the inside there's a bit at the top and bottom only a couple of mm. I scraped a bit on the inside and it's silver coloured underneath Cheers
@Brian Reynolds So what's your impression. Is it gold paint or aged varnish (or something completely different)? I have not seen a gold coloured collar on a Handi yet, but there are lots of things I havn't seen yet.
@Nils Stephenson it's really hard to say, it almost looks like a plating but there doesn't seem to be any on the inside and it's too gold coloured to be yellow from age I think but scraping it a bit reveals a silver colour. Some of the silver appears to be coming through on the bottom of the collar in the photo. Could be paint but it seems quite hard. This is only my second Handi but I really like them, I've got a new in box unlit one coming and I can't wait till it gets here! Cheers
It's quite likely it is gold paint then. I am not convinced it was done at the factory though, but can't rule it out. With a lamp that's been around for 75 years there is a good possibility that it has been worked on at some stage. I'm also quite fond of the Handi lamps. The only drawback is the cost of spares. Every now and then you find one that pulses a lot, but otherwise they work very well. I'm looking forward to pictures of your new one in the gallery when it arrives.
Yes I will post it when I get it, I don't think I'll be able to help myself with lighting it, I hope that's not sacrilege. I was fortunate in getting some new pricker rods awhile ago so I'm good for them at least Cheers
The base of the frame on my Handi with copper tank is painted gold and the collar is black like the dark areas on Brian's lamp but I think it's possible that it was also painted gold when new. It is more golden than it looks in this image.
Personally I wouldn't light it but its your lamp so you can do with it what you like. If you need more user lamps I'm sure something can be worked out. @Henry Plews I don't know if we'll ever know if they came from the factory like that. I have never seen a gold one as most of the ones I see are rust coloured. That's not a common variation of the KeroPet you have and is from 1959/60.
@Henry Plews one like yours just sold here but it's been cleaned up so if there were traces of paint it may have been removed but who knows. I think the idea of the air tubes like that is to stop it sucking up insects, I wonder why they didn't carry on with that design Cheers
The previous version of attachment was the flange fitting which often came with the insect shields underneath. That solved the insect issue, but there were more parts so probably more expensive to produce. This round tube with the hole through it would stop the mud wasps getting in the end, but there must be less fresh air getting into the air tubes as it is coming from inside the glass. The next version of attachment was the hex tube that is crimped/swaged to the base plate. No insect protection there.
I think the paint is someone’s after market idea, a resource tells me that after dealing with hundreds of handi’s he’s not ever seen a gold one, But still looks very cool. Handi’s are a very good Australian made lantern
