Hello, lately I have found this rare Continental, a 3915 for gasoline. The lamp unfortunately got badly damaged by rust, probably for bad storage. The beautiful original mica is in pieces too, but I guess it could be repaired. The enameled body and hood look like new. When I dismantled it, all the other parts seemed very little used, so basically the lamp was stored probably just after a couple of lightings. Rust holes are in different points, a lot of rust flakes and powder came out from tank, so being a gasoline lamp I am a little worried by soldering the holes and run it with gasoline… maybe it could work also for kero. Suggestions are welcome. More photos will come if I decide to restore it. Nicola
Nicola, great find, a very rare lantern. I do agree, the holes are a little... lets call it "suboptimal". Well rust can be done away with and holes can be fixed. But I would refrain from lighting that lantern. I would suggest to keep away from any kind of fuel. Erik
@Erik Leger Hello Erik, thanks for your reply. Who better than you know these beautiful lamps. I think I will proceed with fixing the tank. You underline like me the risk of using a non trustable tank with gasoline and I won’t do that for sure. A test light with kerosene is something I’d like to try, I am confident that also a sudden leakage won’t be anything dangerous, considering that no kerosene vapour forms inside the tank, contrarily to the more volatile gasoline. Of course a high pressure test with kero inside, before lighting, will be done. A donor tank is surely hard to find, but is more easy to find a lamp without top, than a lamp without tank Cheers, Nicola
Additionally: clearly an eventual test light, also if with kerosene, will be done in a controlled situation with all the needed precautions. The lamp will never be a lamp that can be used regularly and for long periods, unattended. Nicola
@Adolfo Seixas Hello Adolfo, I already passed this lantern to an expert friend collector from Japan, that made a beautiful restoration Nicola
@JEFF JOHNSON Oh yes, I have followed the whole restoration process, really amazing skills needed for this complicated project. Nicola
Incredible restoration. Not one I’d trust still, but it looks stunning. Did your friend seal the fount after the hole repairs? Has it been lit or is it just a display piece?
