Inevitably, a visit to a local antique fair parted a measly few bob from my otherwise tightly clenched wallet in exchange for this unfired Vapalux M1. (I had already removed the old mantle and heater wick when I took the picture). The more I get into lamps, the more I appreciate the quality of Vapalux. I reckon I may just clean this beastie up and let it remain in its virgin state for now. It seem a pity to flake the enamel from the hood.
The number of pressure lamps I own, almost matches my age. Working on it.... Lovely find, your lantern... :-)
I've never seen a Vapalux or Bialaddin in my area. They are of course, on my wish list. The only English or UK lamps I've seen around here are the Tilleys and they are mostly the newer X246B, which are not exactly favourites among members here. On rarer occasions,:the FL-6 floodlights might turn up.
@R100 That is a great find , I need to start getting to some boot fairs and local antique fairs. I expect the bug bite feels like a welcome rush when you see something like this. If you are going to keep it "as is", beeswax furniture polish, the thick stuff from Rustins amongst several others is good for gently working into the enamel/metal areas to prevent further flaking caused by time and temperature variations, and slows down corrosion greatly. An invisible fix . I used to have a collection of old Raleigh bicycles and it works wonders to keep the original paint safe and prevents rusting.
Well found @R100 I like the Bialaddin lamps and their better engineering than some. They look great and work well. Cheers Pete
That is a cracking find, and I suspect a little "fairer priced" than the example of the same type of lantern I found this week in a Military Surplus shop. Good effort!
Just needs a spirit wick and you're away....I really do like the M1's (21C) lanterns, from an aesthetic point of view, they have a certain symmetrical balance and IMHO, are one of the most attractive lamps you can buy. My regular 'user' is an M1 I just love the 'mushroom top' that gives it its pleasing shape. Martin
That’s a lovely lamp in pristine condition. Excellent find, especially considering you found it at an antiques fair. I can imagine the excitement when you first spotted it. About 3 months ago I went to a local antiques arcade to have my 1910 Gustav Becker pendulum clock repaired, and there it was. Among all the junk, in one of the least kept units, a Tilley TL106 stood tall and proud. Complete with 182 glass globe, the cream paint intact and not a single dent in the tank. The price tag was even better than the lamp, going for less than a single 182 globe sells for on eBay. And I managed to haggle it down as well. I’ll post photos. This just goes to show it is still very possible to find gems at antiques and junk shop but one has to be consistent and visit regularly. These things don’t hang around for long. Nice lamp, congrats!
