Anyone into old lanterns?

[TelePlay]

Was watching this old lamp on eBay. It has Bell etched on the red glass globe and has Bell System embossed around the top of the base. It was made by Dietz and is known as the Little Wizard lantern. It sold for $61, $78 including shipping.

http://tinyurl.com/7a8lu2x

The lamp below it, with the clear glass globe, is identical except it does not have the "Bell" identification but is in much better condition. It sold for $15, $23 including shipping.

http://tinyurl.com/7hpxglo

Without the "Bell" identification, that lamp in that condition would not have sold. Having a "Bell" lamp hanging in the phone room does have a value - priceless.  

[TelePlay]

Anyone out there collect these?

I don't but always wanted one so picked up this beauty on eBay for $15 plus $7 shipping.

While it didn't have an original globe, and came with a crack, it is in great condition (no rust anywhere) and a late pre-war production. All it needs is a new wwwick, a little soot removal, blow out the air tubes and give it a light polishing.

From some quick research, seems this type of lantern was the top of the line, most expensive, oil wick lantern made in the early 1900s. Just like phones, they were affected by the war. In late 1943, Dietz started regularly painting their hand lanterns when World War II forced them to use terne plate instead of the tin plate they used for decades. According to the patent and manufacture information stamped into one of the air tubes, this lantern was made at their Dietz Syracuse Factory #2 in July 1943, of tin plate. Their first factory in New York City, "Main" Factory #1, closed in 1931.

So, to me this is like buying a pre-war metal 302 in fine condition. It was one of the last lanterns made before the war effort forced them to change over to terne plate and paint. As such, it's an "original" with a great tin plate luster.

More recently , in 1956 Dietz closed its Syracuse factory and moved all manufacturing to China and stopped stamping patent and date info into the air tubes at that time.

I think I got a deal on this and will be ready to use as soon an its new Loc-Nob globe and wick arrives. Got 3 globes - clear, red and blue. Passed on the amber and green.

[Doug Rose]

John...I also like the old lanterns. I try to get the Old Bell System Dietz Lanterns. The  have a red globe with embossed Bell System. Harder are to get the Dietz Lantern with the Bell System embossed in the metal. Very nice indeed....Doug

[TelePlay]

Were you watching this one? I bid $61 and lost it. This is the auction that put me onto the one I bought.

http://tinyurl.com/7a8lu2x

[Dennis Markham]

Nice lanterns.  I see them frequently at the local flea market I visit.  But I'm afraid I don't know a good one from a run-of-the-mill lantern.  I do watch for those embossed with the Bell System but so far no luck finding one.

[TelePlay]

Nice lanterns.  I see them frequently at the local flea market I visit.  But I'm afraid I don't know a good one from a run-of-the-mill lantern.  I do watch for those embossed with the Bell System but so far no luck finding one.

Dennis,

I found this site to be quite informative and answered all of my questions in determining the "value" of the lantern I bought at random. Might help find a keeper at the flea markets.

In general, unpainted metal in good condition are not run-of-the-mill. On the other hand, there are so many out there, none are really worth that much, unless they have the "Bell System" embossed in the metal and "Bell" etched into the globe.  

http://www.lanternnet.com/

[TelePlay]

Got to say one thing, cleaning up an old lantern is a lot easier than cleaning up an old phone. And cheaper.

This is the final product. I left the dent in the fuel reservoir (hah, no way to get it out anyway).

You can see the patent and manufacturing stamp info on the right air tube just about at the top of the blue globe.

The only thing new is the wick and globe. Used a molasses and water solution 24 hour soak and then Brillo pads to get the crud off (which according to instructions removes crud without damaging the patina). Polished all of the metal with Noxon and put a light coat of clear lacquer on the air tubes and fuel reservoir.

Have a clear, red and blue globe. My wife wanted to see the blue so that's what you see here. It's a very nice NOS globe made in the 70's. Looks nice when lit using Medallion lamp oil instead of Kerosene for indoor use.

[TelePlay]

Picked up a 1945 Dietz No.2 D-Lite about a month ago for $20. According to the stamping on one of the air tubes, it was made in the Dietz Syracuse New York plant in August of 1945. Came with lot of rust and dirt and soot. Used the approved molasses soaking method with gentle Brillo pad cleaning. First few days, I cleaned it every day but then let it sit in the solution for a week at a time before brillo'ing it.

The dirt and rust were removed. Deep rust left a grey pitted surface and some rusted spots remained as black pits. After the final cleaning, I went over the lantern with Brasso, the metal polish that worked best of the 4 I had on hand. After a few days or drying, I will spray a few light coats of clear lacquer on it to preserve the finish.

This is what I got and what it looks like after restoration.

[AE40FAN]

If I ever get a deal on one of these older dietz lanterns I will be attempting this restoration technique.  In the meantime I've got plenty of phones to keep me busy....Amazing job!

[TelePlay]

Thanks to a tip from a forum member, I picked up a Bell System Little Wizard lantern from eBay a couple of months ago for about $50 including shipping.

It came with an older clear globe, a bent bail, a missing burner cone and a lot of rust.

Took it through the cleaning process 7 times and it came out okay. A lot of the rust was associated with a build up of fuel and dirt making a nice place for humidity to corrode the tin plate finish. As such, the rust is gone but the tin plate under the heaviest dirt is pitted and a darker grey than other areas.

This shows the photos taken from as received through the final clean.

http://tinyurl.com/n8vv5lh

The costs, other than cleaning materials (a box of Brillo pads and a 12 ounce jar of molasses) and time, were for a new burner, wicks, a burner cone and a blue globe at about $25 total. So, I now have a lantern stamped Bell System on the top of the fuel font that was manufactured by Dietz in their Syracuse, NY, plant in September of 1929 for about $75.

And it gives of both a nice blue glow and a dry, warm heat when lit.

Oh, and it's not for sale, but I am open to very large offers . . . 

[Sargeguy]

I just purchased a Dietz "Little Wizard" off of eBay for $45.  It is painted red and has the original red etched glass globe.  I cannot read much through the paint except:

TED
20
S 6

[Russ Kirk]

You did a great job. It would make a great addition to anyone's collection.

Why would Bell System use the red or blue globe and not clear?

[TelePlay]

I just purchased a Dietz "Little Wizard" off of eBay for $45.  It is painted red and has the original red etched glass globe.  I cannot read much through the paint except:

TED
20
S 6

Sarge,

Was that a factory paint job or a rattle can paint job? On first thought, I would say you have a lantern made in Syracuse NY before 1957, from only the "S 6" number but that would be Syracuse June ? ? ? ? as in S-6-? ? ? ?. The other numbers I don't recognize. Factory paint was used after they switched from tin plating to Tearne plating during the war.  "World War II causes shortage of tin & tin plate.  The War Production Board orders the use of the less rust resistant Terne Plate as a substitute.  To help prevent lanterns from rusting, they are coated with gray enamel through the war years, until the more familiar metallic blue is adopted in 1949."

This is from the Dietz Patent Date informational page at:  http://www.lanternnet.com/patents.htm

"Do not confuse the "M" or "S" production dates with a patent date when looking at a Dietz Lantern.  To determine the month and year of manufacture on most Dietz lanterns made between 1915 and 1956, look at the "M" or "S" production date located under the patent dates, usually located on the upper part of the right air tube on cold blast lanterns, on the center air tube on Hot Blast lanterns, or on the lid on Dietz Vesta lanterns.

"M" denotes Dietz New York City "Main" Factory #1, while "S" denotes Dietz Syracuse Factory #2, which is followed by the month and year of production.  (i.e. "S-6-41" stands for Syracuse Factory #2, June of 1941, "M-1-25" stands for New York City Factory #1, January 1925.)  Stamping Patent and Production dates into Dietz lanterns was abandoned in 1956, coinciding with the establishment of the Hong Kong factory.

Lantern production ceased in the New York City "M" Factory #1 in 1931, and in the Syracuse "S" Factory in 1970.

DIETZ CEASED STAMPING PATENT DATES AND PRODUCTION CODES INTO THEIR LANTERNS IN 1956.

IF YOUR LANTERN IS FACTORY PAINTED, AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY PATENT MARKINGS, IT WAS MOST LIKELY MADE AFTER 1956.

IF YOUR DIETZ LANTERN IS MARKED "N.Y. U.S.A." THEN IT WAS MADE BEFORE 1970"

Hope this helps, if that is what you were looking for.

[Sargeguy]

I suspect it was repainted, probably with a brush.  I assume "TED" is the end of "PATENTED" Here are a few pics:

[DavePEI]

Now that is something I should be on the lookout for for the Museum. I never thought of getting one with all the phones and tools, I have on display.

It would particularly look good in the 1938 LIU truck back!

Dave