Made in India by the company founded by Franz Racek but long after his death in 1943 and not by then made in Germany and imported. I’ve discovered something of its provenance, brought to the UK by an Indian family who settled in London and consigned it to a cellar, where it evidently had something stacked on it, collapsing the hood. I’ve to work some more on the hood, but it’s regaining its shape and the cap inscription is sound. Notice the plate in the collar, which I was keen to clean to reveal whatever it might. The pump knob is eminently grippable! The nickel plating should clean up well. I’ve made a start, revealing the tank inscription. The blanking-off of a rapid pre-heater mount is crudely done, but effective. To remove the collar and globe cage, I’d to cut the head off this securing screw, its threads having bonded with those in the tank mounting. Penetrating oil had no effect and I didn’t want to melt solder with injudicious use of a blowtorch. I could then get a grip on the screw to remove it. Fuel ‘varnish’ deposit on the pickup tube. EFAR 608 stamped on the vapouriser. The pricker needle is intact and the jet isn’t worn. Taking a bath currently in citric acid solution! Two-piece control wheel. A common Indian pattern globe, made up of glass strips I’ll report back on progress. John
Nice acquisition. It is in quite a rough shape but I think it is restorable. I have a similar unit. It isn't marked "EFAR" but Petromax-RACEK instead. I would believe that most of the parts were made in Germany. Racek was a renowned importer of many European products. Many of them have customized inscriptions, stampings, parts and pieces that are not found on the original manufacturers' products. The pump knob looks similar to the one I have. Like the one in this post, mine showed evidence of being heavily used with multiple repairs and soldered reinforcements.
The ceramic nozzle is embossed ‘German Type’, likely made in India and invoking the German connection as a sign of quality, perhaps.
A wash in very hot water with detergent added improved matters considerably, disposing of the grime and leaving the nickel plating responsive to light polishing with a mild metal polish (Solvol). Loosely assembled prior to cutting a lead washer for the valve to tank joint. The hole in the pump tube cap to take the pump rod was very worn, adversely affecting the pump action. The ‘floating’ pump washer assembly on a Primus is more accommodating of a sloppy-fitting pump rod than the more rigidly-mounted Petromax pattern, I’ve noticed. To rectify this, I silbrazed a brass bush inside the pump tube cap, which resulted in a very smooth pump action.
The priming cup was missing and I made one from sheet brass, tubing and brass rod for the securing loop. Silbrazed with 30% silver rod: the horseshoe-shaped ‘wall’ of the cup, joined with a silbrazed overlap; the priming torch tube silbrazed to the cup base and with a silbrazed brass plug in its lower end. Silbrazed with 50% silver rod, molten at a lower temperature than the 30% silver stuff, so this stage of the assembly doesn’t disrupt the joints made in the first stage. Trimmed and polished. The hole in the priming torch to enable the spirit to flow into the torch’s ‘sump’.
I can't believe that you made that spirit cup instead of substituting from some other scrap lamp Definitely that makes this lamp special Thanks for detailed and useful info regarding silbrazing. I like a lot that glass globe as well. all the best, Piotrek
@Piotrek Thanks Piotrek. MYN said: I thought so too and that my ‘home made’ (non-factory) fabrication was in keeping with how it would have been kept working in India, such as a globe made from strips of glass and tinplate to replace a borosilicate glass original. I had the scraps of brass, a length of brass tubing left over from THIS Vapalux project, tinsnips, MAPP blowtorch and two heat ranges of silver solder. Yes, those glass strip globes are a clever and attractive work-around to replace comparatively expensive original patterns. I encountered one on THIS Prabhat and restored it by dismanling it and replacing cracked glass panes and de-rusting the tinplate frame components. John
The improvised vertically slatted method is a workable way that does not necessitate the use of borosilicate glass. Just ordinary glass would suffice. A normal full glass globe would require borosilicate or other glasses with very low thermal coefficient of expansion to prevent fractures during use.