Htown Harry
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- May 13, 2007
- Messages
- 1,525
I need some help in identifying an antique. I haven't seen the object in person, I just have these two photos. Three hours in to my internet search, I'm still stumped.
I used the Google image tricks imoldernu describes here:
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/whos-this-66338.html
None of the similar images were anywhere in the ballpark.
The vents, what may be soot stains on the inside and the shielded red glass piece suggest it is a lantern of some kind, lit up by a flame. So it either was designed for portable use before batteries were common, or it dates to before it's original home was wired for electricity.
I don't think it's railroad brakeman's lantern, because it has no handle. Unless the handle was originally mounted to the "ears" on the body and is missing...
The pictures I found of a R.R. switch lantern all seem to have both a red and green display at 90-degree angles. Same with caboose lights, I think. This lantern looks like it only points in one direction.
"C. U. R 18 - 6 - 40" is the identifier on the tag.
The two "typewriter key" buttons on the top are very puzzling...
Any help would be appreciated.
I used the Google image tricks imoldernu describes here:
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/whos-this-66338.html
None of the similar images were anywhere in the ballpark.
The vents, what may be soot stains on the inside and the shielded red glass piece suggest it is a lantern of some kind, lit up by a flame. So it either was designed for portable use before batteries were common, or it dates to before it's original home was wired for electricity.
I don't think it's railroad brakeman's lantern, because it has no handle. Unless the handle was originally mounted to the "ears" on the body and is missing...
The pictures I found of a R.R. switch lantern all seem to have both a red and green display at 90-degree angles. Same with caboose lights, I think. This lantern looks like it only points in one direction.
"C. U. R 18 - 6 - 40" is the identifier on the tag.
The two "typewriter key" buttons on the top are very puzzling...
Any help would be appreciated.