Tilley lamp identification

Hello all, I have had these two old Tilley lamps for a long time. I would appreciate any help with their identification, thanks!

 

Hi @Galea

You have a nice pair of Tilley X246 Guardsman lanterns dating between 1956-1960 if I remember correctly. I I have it wrong I will soon be corrected.

Regards Jeremy

 

Thanks Jeremy, will there be any marks regarding how to date them? Where to look for? Thanks, Joseph.

 

The the way the bail is clipped to the frame makes these lanterns date from late 1954. Tilley started stamping a date on their lanterns in late 1956.

Cheers

Tony

@Galea

 

@Tony Press

Thanks for correcting me.

Regards Jeremy

 

October 1956 it seems

 

The brass one is September/October 1957 to September 1961 and should have a date stamp in the base plate. Three or four numbers and two letters. Numbers are month and year.

The speculum plated De-lux is from about mid 1954 to September 1957. This one may be dated but only the later ones after October 1956 were stamped with a date, before that they are not dated. ::Neil::

 

Neil

Which feature(s) of the brass one make it late ‘57 to ‘61? I’m still wrapping my head around these Tilley X246 tanks.

Cheers

Tony

@Mackburner

 

I'll have a go but I am prepared to be wrong.

The brass one is later because it is stamped with an owl.

If the brass one was not stamped it would be earlier.

 

They both have owls, so is it also the combination of the owl plus the shape of the flares at the bottom of the tank?

Cheers

Tony

 

Yes that's right. No side stamps on the pre '54 lamps and the two distinct tank profiles. The one with a groove is '54 and the last of the well engineered Tilley lantens. The quality decline begins in '57. That tank shape with the side stamps is when Tilley inverted the base plate and from then onwards all Tilley lantern tanks are prone to dish down if over pumped. ::Neil::

 

Neil

On shape of the tank, I can’t tell the difference in outside profile of the tank between the 1949-1954 X246 (unstamped) and the 1957-1961 X246 tank (stamped)....

Cheers

Tony

@Mackburner

 

Took pictures of the bases. The plated one is just stamped "Made in England" whilst the brass finish one is additionally stamped with 361XA.

 

Thanks for all your replies and knowledge. Therefore the plated Tilley dates between 1954 - October 1956 since base is unmarked while the brass finished one is dated March 1961. Correct?

 

Yes

 

Thanks!

 

Neither can I. '57 is when changes were afoot. The company passed out of the Tilley family that year and I always reckoned that is when they sacked their last engineer and employed an accountant. '57 is when they changed the way the base plates were inserted into the tanks. I assume because it was a cheaper method although I can't see why that might be more economic. ::Neil::

 

Actually the unstamped and chrome plated lamp has a noticeable deep groove around the circumference about half an inch below the 'ledge' underneath the Tilley writing on the side of the tank, which the brass finished lamp does not have. The difference shows up quite clearly if one compares the photos below:

 

Agreed, and thanks for the images. It would be even clearer, though, if you select 'Full-size' when you upload your photographs. Doing that, they appear in your posts rather than just attached to them as you did with the last pair. When you're uploading a lot of images at the same time, select 'Thumbnail'. Hope that helps...

 

Thanks David!

 

@Galea

I was aware of the differences between your two tanks pictured above. Those two tanks are 1954 - 1957 (plated, with “groove”) and 1957 - 1961 (brass).

My comment to Neil was regarding the earlier 1949 - 1954 tank pictured here:



This variation of the X246 has the cage with “ears” for the attachment of the bail. The cage bail attachment was changed to the “clips” (along with the tank profile - the groove) when your (@Galea ) variation came along in late 1954.

Cheers

Tony

 

I see Tony, thanks for the clarification!

 

Neil said:

I’ve got a 1959 dished down Tilley X246. It’s time to get the angle grinder out for an autopsy....

Cheers

Tony

 

Worth a look for sure. I have cut open a few to investigate the problem. Always nice to have someone repeat the experiment. ::Neil::

 

Neil

I’ll do it also to compare the bottom plate orientation with the 1949-1954 Tilley X246 bottom plate.

Cheers

Tony

 

I trust you will publish your findings and slap my wrist if I am proved wrong. ::Neil::

 

I don’t think you’re wrong...

I just thought a good photo would be helpful. I’ve only just got around to understanding this change in Tilley manufacture technique.

Cheers

Tony