I was lucky enough to find this very beautiful and very rare (that's what I think...) Phoebus 625, about which I have great difficulty finding information; I even found its big sister, a Phoebus 631, also functional but unfortunately in less good general condition; It will be the subject of another post later... This 625 is in excellent condition, complete, with its original glass, working needle, ceramic in place, etc etc. I was seduced by its originality as well as its simplicity; This small kerosene lamp has all the makings of a big one. Note that the pump piston is screwed on, as on the Coleman, it is assumed to avoid untimely oil upwelling if the NRV is not watertight. All that's left to do is find the sleeve that will light it up, as soon as I've finished repairing the NRV that is leaking a little...If anyone has any documentation on this lamp, I'm very interested! Thanks in advance The bad news is that this beautiful original glass spontaneously cracked on its own during the night, after cleaning, and of course it will be nowhere to be found! The good news is that it has a standard size type Optimus 1200, so it's easy to replace; But it's infuriating; This is not the first time this has happened, do you have an explanation?
Very nice find. For those who don't speak Dutch, her is the Bing translation Can be rotated to give signals, without affecting their brightness. Another advantage of the lanterns is that they can be fired with ordinary petrol, which is available everywhere and at any time. The manufacture of these apparatus seems to us to satisfy a need which has been felt for a long time, as these lanterns do not require a second kind of liquid fuel for preheating. They differ considerably from the other lamps which were in use up to that time in their construction, in that they are perfectly resistant to impacts, wind and weather, whether when used in the house or in the open air. Our reflector lantern is therefore also suitable for sailing trips, because the reflector illuminates the road over a long distance and because the lamp can be immediately converted into a pendant light for rooms and cabins. For fire brigades and rescue brigades, this lamp is indispensable in view of the immediate combustion and the various possibilities of its use, as well as in view of the high brightness and widely available petrol.
Hello Henry! Are you sure you're talking about this Phoebus 625? Because I can see a cup of pre-heating with alcohol, and no reflector!! It has only one joystick, like the Petromax; Maybe you're talking about the 623, which you can see on the paper document, but it's not the same lamp. On the other hand, OK for the 631 (I know you also have a copy) it starts on gasoline, i think, no need for alcohol; For the 625, I think the fuel is kerosene
You have acquired a fine old lantern. Yes, it has happened to many of us as well. I have yet to come across a comprehensive, scientific explanation for it. It just happens to some without any obvious reasons that we're aware of. Usually after thoroughly cleaning, rinsing and drying. I have noticed that is more apparent if we're using any water or water-based detergents or chemicals for the cleaning. I have not done any thorough investigations or have any explanation for that. Nevertheless, I would now only use organic solvents for cleaning the glass and alcohol/spirit for the final wipe.
Hello Serge, I just used an online translater but you are correct, the lanterns pictured in the paperwork are all for petrol (essence) but your 625 is definitely for kerosene. I notice also that the first word at the top of the page starts with a small letter k not K so "kunnen" is not the first word of the sentance. I believe this is not the first page of a catalogue and the kerosene lanterns are on a different page.
Salut Serge, I congratulate you on this pretty Phoebus lantern, I appreciate the aesthetic elegance of it, especially the hats and the slender tank. She seems in good shape and above all she is in good hands. Friendship, Patrick.
