By accident I saw Dr Who - Christmas carol yesterday. At a certain point the doctor and the boy go to the deep freeze chamber with a Aladdin mantle lamp. This lamp burns bright and without any problems when in motion... But astonishingly it has a mantle or at least it looks like it when it is in sight in a close up shot. I believe the BBC repeats dr who this evening.
I own an Aladdin, and what you saw is true. They are wonderful wick lamps with mantles. I bought my first Aladdin for $20, and the same model goes for $120. That is the least expensive Aladdin you can get, and the sky is the limit for cost and beauty. I have a bug shield on the top of mine, and I'm looking into the optional smoke bell that clips onto the top of the chimney. The flue temperature is VERY hot, and we used one to heat the dining room while I studied in college. The lamp that the good Doctor is carrying lists for $209 (US), and I have to mention that they are absolutely silent in operation. I just added a close shot of a mantle at low intensity. The tricky thing is that if the circular wick is not trimmed properly, you get spots on the mantle that will soot up.
It's a bit hard to see the gallery properly, but it looks like the standard model British made Super Aladdin on a nickel plated metal font. Fairly common in the UK. Looks like it might actually be working correctly (not electrified).
OK, I sdmit it - I've got two of these 'wickie-crap' Aladdins. The first came via eBay from a charity seller. I can't remember how much it was but not a lot. What attracted me to it especially was that it's all in it's original boxes, still wrapped in tissue paper and never assembled, although I might have put it together once for a photograph. Never lit it, though. I got another two along with a large box of mantles, wicks, trimmers and God-knows what else, another unknown wickie lamp, and a Bialaddin T10 table lamp (which was what I really wanted, obviously) for around £35 - maybe $55. One of the Aladdins was complete apart from the shade and tripod thingie and I promptly gave that away. I kept the other Aladdin because, as well as the shade and tripod, it needed that thimble-like thingie (flame-spreader?) from the centre of the burner. I still haven't found one of those at a reasonable price and, to be honest, I don't know where the lamp is and, what's more, I don't care... Anyway, the Bialaddin, complete with correct globe was worth what I paid for the whole lot...
Al, I'm sure Wim, as most in here, already knows this. Especially since he initially did call it a mantle lamp... I assume that the thing he found astonishing, was the fact that the movie makers actually used the lamp for real instead of an electrified version (as Nils also pointed out). Or perhaps just as a regular wickie without the mantle, which also is something you see now and then with these. To my eyes it also look like the "regular" UK-model, Or perhaps the Hong-Kong made one, with the No23 burner. But I'm far from an expert on these, even if I have a handful of them. Just because the fact that they give out a good amount of light, but - as Al pointed out - perfectly silent, they are great lights to use indoors. As long as you watch them so they don't run amok. I had three of them running in different rooms during the last power cut!
WimVe I should know better! P.S. Our family name on my mom's side is Wezeman, so it's nice to see a Dutchman in the group! Yelvington is the Patriot version of Yelverton (Loyalists) and is apparently Welsh. I suspect all of this has something to do with my affinity for European lamps and the like
Hi Al, Wezeman could be Flamish too! 8) (language spoken in Flanders, lower part of Belgium. Supposed to be the same as Dutch, but we know better! ) Best regards, Wim
I'm sure my Wezeman roots are Dutch since I'm only 2nd generation, and the family Bible from the Netherlands is kept by my cousin (Vander Laan).
I have gotten "smoke consumers" from Alex Marrack (highly regarded in "wickie" circles") info here. Several sizes available and adjustable for chimney diameter. Not the prettiest, but totally functional. Aladdin makes a custom fit one (960-B). Woody happens to carry them here or you can google it. I love my Aladdins, but they are indeed a nefarious lot , burning perfectly for hours, as long as you are in the room with them, and then going "volcanic" as soon as you step out for a bit . Regards, Dan
It looks like a model 23 Aladdin to me. The build quality of the model 14, which is also called the Super Aladdin is much better, as is it's performance, Jeff.
I've heard about this from several Aladdin afficionadoes... What is it? What can possibly go wrong with them?
Kidding aside, they are good lamps. What usually happens is that folks turn up the wick too high too soon. As the burner heats up, the fuel vaporization changes, the flame rises too high and it starts to penetrate the mantle. This causes the mantle to start to clog with carbon. This condition then "snowballs" quickly, the mantle completely clogs, the lamp flares up and black smoke pours from the chimney. It's quite a sight. Even if proper lighting procedures are followed (wait about 15 minutes before turning the wick up for a bright light) folks like to turn the wick up for maximum brightness; the mantle 100% lit. This is "living on the edge" because 3400 BTUs/hr will slowly heat the room (could take several hours) and the flame will slowly creep up. If you were at the max to start with, the lamp may then "run away". If you keep the mantle at 3/4 lit, you should not have any problems. People have used these for may years. You just need to get used to their foibles. Regards, Dan
Dan, your response is spot on. I hosted several "volcanoes" until I learned the virtues of patience and moderation. As you say, they are very good at heating a room too! Al
100% agree with you, Jeff I've replaced the burners in all my lamps with Super Aladdins. I also run only Model 12 or A mantles (the ones with the row of holes in the bottom of the frame). When the mantle breaks on these, I replace just the fabric with one taken from an Agostini thorium mantle. This combination works superb. My favorite Aladdin (Australian Bakelite tall Family Lamp), gets the pinnacle of mantles, the Welsbach. Regards, Dan
I thought the gallery was a bit too 'tall' to be a 23, but having a closer look there could be the unpierced band around the burner that the 23 has. I'll have to disagree with you on that. I think the original Greenford produced 23 is superior to the SA. The SA winder gear has a tendency to wear quickly and then doesn't give precise control. The actual burn on a SA is very good though as long as you use an old mantle frame. Is there anyone out there with the right skills to produce a mantle frame in the old style (model 12)?
