Two Hipolito H 202 / 250 V. Automatic One with A black control wheel and metal pump knob, the other with orange/red/pink controls: I'd like to make a remark about the build quality of the lamps: The plating on both lamps is coming off from the bottom rim (where the lamp sits on). The lamps came from different sources, which makes it less likely to be caused by environmental factors like use or storage. I have not seen this on other lamps, but on these Hipolito's. The lamps fired up well after changing "The 3 seals" (Pump tube, fuel pickup and preheater). A "Family Picture" with some close and more distant 250cp relatives. From left to right: Optimus 1200, 1250 Aida Express, "Red" Hipolito, "Black" Hipolito, Petromax 821, Petromax 827. I'd like to ask: Does anyone know how to date these Hipolitoes? I've found some clues already: 1) This advert ( [url=http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/1128 ) from 1998, showing a Hipolito with red controls. 2) They look completely the same as a Petromax 827 (apart from the tag), so they're post-Petromax productions. 3) Both have numbers on the bottom of the tank: -The "Red" Hipolito has number 0618 -The "Black" Hipolito has number 4248. Thnx for your Help! Thnx, Peter
Hi Peter. I am also wondering over the red and the black control-knob. I have never seen a Hipolito with red control-knob in Danmark no matter if it was a 102, 202, 302 or 502. As if a whole country only got blackwheel-lamps. Of course a single red-wheel found its way to here but I am yet to see that. I was surprised to find out the red controlknob was most common in the gallerys early days. Claus C
Hipolito lanterns are excellent and production of them ended in June 1999 and they were being produced in the mid 1970's, but i'm not certain if they being produced before that, Neil may have more information, Jeff.
Hi Claus, Jeff, Thnx! Yes, earlier Hipolito lamps have a black&red control knob, though that seems to be a different knob compared to the all-orange knob of this lamp. They are indeed of excellent quality. The only thing I found was that the plating comes off from the bottom ring. Therefor I suspect that the plating is of slightly less quality compared to earlier Petromaxes. The overall build quality feels very solid and the same as Petromax. I suspect that the "red" Hipolito is newer and amongst the later/last lamps produced, because the color is similar to the color in the 1998 brochure. The "black" Hipolito may be produced (just) after production switched from Petromax to Hipolito, because Petromax used black as well. But that's only my guess. Cheers, Peter
I believe the older lanterns with red insert in the control are from before the 1970s when Hippolito started to make Petromax and Aida product. The company was started in 1900 but I believe the lanterns were made after Hipolito bought out Fama in 1954. So these older lanterns are probably mid 1950s through to the mid 1970s and would have been based on the designs of Fama which were from a Swedish company (We don't know which though) The change probably happened when the tooling was changed to produce Petromax product which was around 1976 ish. ::Neil::
