Now that's interesting, a "black identification" label instead of the usual orange. Nice acquisition!
@george These are my first German lamps, so I’m on a learning curve. I’ll have to learn more about the identification plates...
@BigStevie Maybe I'm wrong... Looking at this again and it might just be the black is actually an off-orange, not black. My mistake.
My guess is that the red top goes to any newer lamp than on which it sits in Stevie''s picture. Another guess is that a black label was what the early, post-war lamps were equiped with. Then, to set them apart from their Petromax sisters, the 'house colour' orange was introduced. My money is on a black labeled lamp with a chrome top.
Stevie, That does not say much, as you can put even a 350/500CP Petromax , Geniol or Hipólito ventilator on either one of these lamps with perfect fit. In other words, they are readily interchangable.
Stevie, I would say yes. But to me red-topped AIDA's are new, and George in the US knows much more about them - perhaps you can chime in George?
The ribbed collar was introduced at Petromax in 1958. The punched tank numbers were introduced at Petromax in 1961. Even later around 1980 AIDA's were again manufactured by Hipolito in Portugal. Please show the tank numbers. Then I can tell you more. Regards Reinhard
@BigStevie 22nd week Year 1961 Thursday Manufactured by Petromax in Altena/Germany And the other lamp? Regards Reinhard
@MYN Well, that’s the conundrum. I haven’t a clue being an absolute novice with these lamps. Well have to see what those with the knowledge have to say. @ColinG I know, when I saw the pics, I couldn’t resist them. They’re certainly very well made!
I would believe that both the units were produced by Graetz of Germany( in Altena) if they're made in the 1960s with the 4-digit stamped codes. The overall design is almost identical to the standardized Petromax of that period. But I don't think that the Aida or Petromax of that period would be made with enamelled tops from the standard production lines. However, those meant for export, especially to Asia could sometimes have 'customized' features such as in the nameplates, additional stamped numbers or even enamelled hood tops. Nevertheless, the earlier(1930s) Petromax and Aida were made with much greater variations in features.
@MYN Thanks for your thoughts. I think I’ll put the orange top with the orange plate fount, they look right together!
The two AIDA's were made on the same day ! Probably they were bought together by someone as a couple. With one lamp the hood and the type plate were lost at some point. The red hood probably comes from a Petromax special edition of the 80s (Karstadt). In Germany there are collectors who can imitate such type plates. Bute only in black color. The material of this type plates is thinner. Regards Reinhard
I've came across somewhere(can't remember) that those Aida Express 1350 and 1500 were mostly exported to Asia, perhaps far east. I'd say that in most of Asia, at least during those days, they favoured higher powered units like the 350 and 500cp ones, for instance, by street vendors during the night. They had to compete with the many Petromax clones too, which were mostly rated 300/350cp. In the minds of the users in Asia, the superiority of a lamp is often judged solely by how bright it is. Not surprisingly, the Aida Express 1250 or any with lower outputs, had been less common in Asia. Aida had been rather popular in the Far East. I don't know(of all colours), if the red-orange colour coding for the pricker wheel and nameplate was chosen for any specific reasons. Red is obviously a favourite colour in the East, from the majority of those used in Petromax clones. Perhaps the Aida colour code had some influence or had been influenced by this market sector. By the 50s and 60s, most of Germany and Europe had already phased-out the use of pressure lamps. I'd believe that most of those produced by the Graetz factories during then were for export, especially to the East, where the demand for pressure lanterns was greatest.
@Reinhard Thanks for the information, I guess were all learning something everyday. @MYN it would be interesting to know which countries were the main markets for the European makers in the fifties and sixties and what volumes were being sold.
That'll be nice to know @BigStevie Unfortunately records could only be found in the Graetz archives. They were sold all over Asia for sure. But I'd say a large portion of those made in the 50s and 60s turned up in the FarEast and Southeast Asia.
The hoods on my two Aida lamps are different, one is nickel plated, the other has an orange cap. The orange topped hood the cap it fitted to the hood with six bent over tabs. My question is, how is the cap attached to the nickel plated hood? Is it crimped on or somehow spot welded? Stevie
The nickel plated cap is crimped-formed onto the hood, just like the post war Petromax and clones Its not welded or brazed or attached by screws or anything else. There's also a round piece of steel plate crimped under the hood to act as a sort of backing/stiffener or heat shield. You would usually find that quite many are rusted.