My PL53 has worked fine for the couple of years I’ve had it, but with a bit more time on my hands at the moment, I thought I’d give it a spruce up. I’ve polished everything I can, give it 4 coats of Arizona Gold & 2 coats of clear lacquer. I know it’s not the right colour but I think it looks really good. Try as I might I couldn’t undo the burner at all so decided to leave well alone. Therefore the whole hood was soaked in vinegar and the cleaned up. The whole lamp is brass, with a brass hood “silver” plated. This leads me to think it will be pre-war, but your comments would be appreciated. As yet I haven’t wanted to light it, so at present only before & after pictures. Regards Malcolm
Those hoods are matt chrome plated and all the examples I have seen came on 1940 to 1945 lanterns. They are not as common as the steel enamelled hoods but they are very durable and tend to survive far better as they pretty well don't corrode. I can only suppose that for a short period Tilley had a sheet steel supply problem and used brass instead which they then protected with an unpolished chromium plating. ::Neil::
@malcolm race She looks really good. I do like the paint colour, and anyway, the original Tilley colour we are seeing now may be a faded version of the actual colour of 60+ years ago. Well done. Cheers Pete
Thanks for comments guys, glad you like it, sorry for no money shot Pete, one day but not yet. Thanks for the dating Neil, I was thinking as it was all brass it was probably pre-war, but I’ll take your dating as correct. You are the one who knows!! Cheers Malcolm
That Arizona gold is a stunning colour, my feeling is if it looks good do it, if a lamp has to be repainted it doesn't have to look the same as the day it left the factory, Regards Ian
But it's good if it does! However, given the age of these lanterns who's to say what the original Tilley colour looked like and what changes in hue almost 80 years have brought about. I have to agree, though - that Arizona Gold looks really good and suits the lantern well. I wouldn't go so far as to use the word 'stunning', mind - the only thing in my life that's been stunning was my cold concrete garage floor when I fell off a ladder onto it. That was truly stunning. Oh, and before I go, yes, I freely admit that I am the owner of a Canary Yellow PL53. In my defence, it came to me like that and I didn't buy it for the colour! (Just thought I'd get that in before someone reminded me and posted the pic as proof! ).
David painted... Ooops, David got a lantern already painted, huh? Yes, David garage floors are "hard"! I took a header into my garage floor at my other house 35 years ago and I can still feel a lump...
Thanks for all the comments guys. I’m glad you like it. I certainly do, & I do think it looks better on the lamp than it did on the old 70s cortina’s. cheers Malcolm
