By going through many contributions here on this forum, as well as the internet at large, I realise many collectors, owners even, mix titles with Willis & Bates lamps. Mind, that company led the way in confusing things, but with the aid of the internet 'we' should be able to pare facts down to an approximate that enjoys wide consensus. It does not help, with many sellers on Ebay for instance, to call these lamps with both titles in one breath. A lot of 'Bialaddin Vapalux' lamps are offered, while few of them are: if so, they are a bitza, a cobbled together lamp. To get things more clear, the list of Bialaddin lamps in the Reference Gallery should start with the 300X model instead of the model 300, which never existed. Right after the war the Vapalux 300X emerged, X being interpreted as an export model. That title was carried over to the very first lamp that emerged under the Bialaddin banner, hence the Bialaddin 300X in late 1946. As such, a Vapalux 300X never was produced during the war years; it seems that title appeared in 1946 along with the new multi-holed ventilator, a departure of the vertically slitted model so typically of the wartime lamps. Up to that point W&B had produced only two models: the Vapalux E41 and Vapalux 300, both with the first model, wide tank, with parallel sides. Especially with W&B, that appearantly used parts to complete any lamp rather than to restrict themselves to clearly defined models (and thus would end up with obsolete stock) their models seem chaotic. Furthermore, as W&B left no documentation of any significance on how new models came about, their story is that of developments that seem to flow into each other, and also timewise. This mostly applies to the mid 40's when some new models emerged for only a short time, and brands changed as well. Another factor that ads to the confusion is that many people seem to publish 'facts' based on their own reality, without checking with a wider reference. While a Bialaddin lamp obviously is not a Petromax, any found Bialaddin or Vapalux lamp could be a bitza, and firm conclusions as to which details belong to such and such model at such and such year should be made with some caution. This is what I like about W&B lamps: they often represent a puzzle that will take some study to resolve, IF that is possible anyway. To me, a lamp that might have left the Pellon Works as a factory product, is a lamp that in identical guise shows up on several occasions in several different locations. With that in mind 'we' seem to have consensus on the Vapalux 300 with the newer, 'closed' collared lamp yet with a glass that has a hole in it, the latter a reference to the earlier collar with slits. Too many of those have turned up that cannot be explained as happenstance only. Mind, I am not advocating this should be seen as a new sub-model, but it should be regarded as a typical factory blend, not a private concoction. Because of the internet we now can compare what we - worldwide - have found. And by collecting these findings here, makes for the special value of this site, that very likely is the most authoritative source of fact in the field of pressure lamps today. But we should be critical to what we contribute. In that sense, I agree with the notion that any lamp being published in the Gallery, should have several clear pictures, highlighting the details that so often are the essence of such a model and help to make the distinction between models. Just one vague piccy with just a title does not do much in informing us. Then again, I often do enjoy the variation of how items are presented, together with some of the history and comments by others, that not seldom contribute with information on their own. For me the Reference Gallery is a most important part of this site to help me understand what I have collected, so thank you all! Mike
In the Forum Problems & Feedback section Matthias mentioned two Bialaddin lamps in the Gallery that seem to have just the 300 model number pressed into the metal, without an X. Does this indicate an excisting and different Bialaddin model after all? Matthias is correct in his observation. My view on this and answer to his remark is placed there. To continue here on the same subject, I like to submit a picture as part of a current advertisement on a dutch buy & sell platform: two Bialaddin 300 X (in the title of the advertisement) lamps for sale. This is the only picture that shows a model number. If your knowledge of W&B is sketchy, you see a model number 300 stamped, that unfortunately seems to be confirmed when you look it up in CPL's Referrence gallery. I hope this can be corrected in time.
And it is: the list in the gallery now reflects what we have come to accept as the development of models with their name or type designation.
