Lux Inverella from around 1910 or a bit later. Probably the smallest 200CP version since these mantles fit, and the jet size also indicates this. Lux made some "Donut lamps", and Inverella was one of the smaller, made in the range of 200-400 CP. The inverella also came without a mounted tank, and as such made for a permanent installation with a tank placed elsewhere-what you like to call hollow wire system. With the ring shaped tank, according to a catalogues sheet, it was intended as a portable worklight, which also the frame under the reflector confirms (the frame is original, and seen in the catalogue). Like the majority of the Lux lamps, it runs on paraffin. The preheating is made in a ring shaped ditch beneath the vaporiser, and a special arrangment with a little brass tube with an asbestos wick make sure you'll have a pilot flame to light the mantle once the alcohol runs out. It works like a charm. Here's an image of the pump next to a regular Primus pump (a 1014 in this case) for comparison. Can't but love good old wooden knobs: The valve to the burner is actually exactly as the one we are used to see on the gravity fed Lux Victoria. A very solid, and problem free, valve with only parts made in metal (except for the fibre wheel): The burner. It uses the same principles as we are used to see on many lamps much later: The leak test before I assembled the lamp. Everything was tight and nice without changing anything except for the gasket in the tank lid (which is the same as the manometer). The pump leather got two days in oil, and after that everything pumped up well, the manometer worked and the whole thing kept the pressure. I even kept the old cork seal in the NRV. The NRV is by the way of the external model. The nut for access is seen under the tank in one of the first pictures. Can't but help to think "lifebuoy" when I dunked the donut... Here's thumbs for the Lightbox feature to those who prefer to use this:
Very nice Christer, I'm quite jealous. That's very interesting that the valve is the same as on the Victoria. Is there anything else that is 're-used' that you can see?
Nils, the only other thing I can think about is the NRV, which of course is the same as they used on e.g. the stoves or the Sirius lantern.
Christer, what a stunning lamp this is. This must be one of the best looking lamps there is (in Sweden that is). WOW!
Thanks Lighthouse. It is a good looking little donut, even if it would have looked better without the frame. It's very practical, though, to be able to put it down anywhere. I really like the indigo blue enamel Lux used on some of their lamps. It's very deep and nice. The large Autolux in my avatar is sometimes seen with this dark blue colour. Actually I think I have to fix a colour and paint the tank after all. Firstly I was determined to leave everything as it is, but I think I have reconsidered since the tank is so dominant. It would make such a big difference with the tank repainted. I would most certainly leave it if it only had the natural ageing on it, but it has been very much scraped upon as you can see, which nearly take the focus of the rest of the lamp. It works flawlessly by the way! A 350 CP soft mantle mounted on the old ceramic ring forms and shrinks to look almost exactly as an original Inverella rigid mantle.
I had it running for an hour this evening. No problems at all. Here it is in the "lamp room". (I didn't keep it that close to the ceiling all the time. That's just for the picture.)
