picked this up today at an auction, not sure if it is original or not? Any ideas? has some unusual features...
I reckon that it's actually a PL-52 or a transitional PL-53. The first link below shows a 1923 advert, which clearly shows your lantern's tank. The second link shows a 1929 advert and the hood which is shown on the lantern in that advert, looks more like your hood than the hood in the first advert does. Your lantern has a later globe carrier though, but that could have been added at any time during the intervening years. That lantern is a great find! http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/1178 http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/2397 Perhaps you could add some more detailed photographs. Jeff.
Hi ! Lets put your lamp in to 1924 era. I have two of these lamps myself so its easy for me to advise you ,I guess Jeff is just speculating and does not own such a lamp. The tank is the PL53 size and has a flat top later lamp tanks went up and down a bit around the control cock. The control cock has octagonal or hexagonal stem great to see , same control cock on early smooth stemed Tilley table lamp from around 1924. The wire frame around the vapouriser and attached to hood is actually a stone guard and nothing to do with the glass. The hood pics you have sent clearly show a small grub screw added to the hood after the enamel was fired there's three of these around the junction of the hood where vertical meets horizontal !These hold the glass in place. The hinged flap on top of hood , I'll say definately home made how ever the valve attached to tank is for real and only present for a few years .Feed pipe from tank goes to this ajustable valve before heading for the control cock ! Inside hood is an insect guard above the burner assembly. A pic of both ends of the pump would be good ! There were a few varients about this time but what you have is 1924 and remember Tilley only started with their portable lamps in 1919 / 20 so look after this lamp its very desirable! regards mick
Yes with that valve unit in the tank it has to be older than 1929. Mick I assume that this would have just a pricker control rather than a valve under the vaporiser? I don't own a Tilley with that style of fuel feed but I have seen a couple and also seen pictures of the inside of the tank. It is certainly a rare and old beast to be preserved and cherished. I also don't think that hinged hood cap is original. Tilley made these hoods with a top vent to manage the hot exhaust. With that cap closed this would be rstricted which makes be believe it can't be original. ::Neil::
Good lamp you got there Paul lets have some more pictures, Its got a old burner with the coarse thread spigot I have had a few where the mixing dome looks to have had a piece fixed in the top is this like that? I don't like to disagree with you two but till we see better pictures that hinged top looks a well made modification to say the least, I think it would vent hot gas resting on the pin weird idea tho, yours are on 3 pins mick arnt they? cheers pete
I agree. Based on what we can see so far, it looks to me as if it could even be original . However, what would be the advantage in building them hinged like that? Nice lamp, though - wish I had it...
I like that thought better.I put large pebbles on my Tilley top to heat up in the winter when sea fishing timing is key, so as not to burn your hands
You can heat up sweet mince pies very successfully on a Tilley X246B. Probably most other lanterns, too, but I haven't tried it...
Looks interesting idea does the hinge been there a long time if the cap was fixed originally where are the holes or rusty bits cheers pete
That looks like factory original to me. Perhaps it was hinged to allow access to the insect shield - is that fixed or removeable?
The insect shield is fixed in place, I've been cleaning the lamp today, the top is brass. More pictures will follow, it's starting to look good!
I can't see the purpose for this hinged top. It won't take a pot with that rod sticking up. Here is the 1924 catalogue page for the lantern. It mentions a modified form of cowl can be supplied which makes the lantern model PL54 but does not state what this modification is. Frustrating? ::Neil::
Even the illustrated top cowl\hood on the PL53 doesnot look that windproof Neil makes you wonder what the cheaper model PL54 was like don't it The illustration looks to have 3 pins holding the top on like micks lamps do Intresting lamp be better to see more pics of it cheers pete
I have seen a few variations on these early hoods and Mick has probably seem more than I have. I seem to recall seeing one with Roger Price which has a normal looking curved hood vent that is hinged like this flat one. Tilley paper does not really allow us to state what was made when and as you can see from the 1924 paper we know they made variations but not what they looked like. Just have to go with what we see. ::Neil::
