Hail all viewers. I have just recently begun collecting kerosene pressure lanterns. I now have a Bialaddin 300X that has a non-painted fount. The brass has a nice patina in my opinion. Tell me, do the majority of collectors favor polished or 'raw brass' as I call it,(allowed to develop a patina)? Thank you, Captain Mike De Long in Hampton, Virginia.
My personal opinion is to let it develop its patina. Three reasons; first, I think that a patina looks better than a flashy shine. Second, the patina in itself has a protective function in keeping the atmosphere from the brass. Third, once polished you have to keep polishing and every time you polish you thin the metal, apart from the fact that many polishes will introduce ammonia to the surface which can lead to stress cracking. This why most brass-tank lamps were painted; to protect the brass. Steve.
Hail Steve. Thank you for the reply. I agree about allowing brass to develop a natural patina. I happen to live aboard an all wood trawler and also collect vintage, ship's clocks, many of them in raw brass. The fact that I am floating with salt air all all around me hastens the development of the patina. I failed to ask one more question about my Bialaddin lantern. I was told it was made in 1949. Would the fount have been enameled and in what color? I have seen other Bialaddin lanterns like mine on this cite done in a rich burgundy, almost what I refer to as 'oxblood'. I suspect that over the years, some collectors who favor 'glitz', remove the enamel and buff them out. Thank you, Captain Mike De Long in Hampton, Virginia.
Hail Jean. Thank you for your comment. Yes, I would not mind seeing it done in the original color; however, trying to replicate an exact match, and also to apply the finish to have EXACTLY the sort of surface look of an original piece is almost impossible in my opinion. I can always tell if a piece is has been redone. I happen to own an outstanding example of a Coleman 200A lantern that is in its original, almost flawless finish from 1948. There is something about what time does to a finish that can not be replicated. I want a piece to look every bit the part of its age without signs of abuse. Since my Bialaddin is in raw brass, I'll leave my hands off it. Thank you, Captain Mike De Long in Hampton, Virginia.
Look at this pair. The one on the left is aged about 1970. The one on the right is circa 1949. The left was originally bare brass has has never been polished. The one on the right was originally painted and has been stripped back to bare brass and polished. I know which I prefer! What a lovely chessnut colour patina. Steve.
Hi Mike, welcome on board! Quite a few members have an interest in boats, could you post a few photo's of yours? Thanks mate! Best regards, Wim (who happens to live on dry land... )
You can polish one of those but originally it was painted maroon, more or less the same colour as the cap. These lamps were never issued in plain brass. They were allways either painted or plated. Only the plated examples were ever polished so the surface on the painted types is quite rough and it takes a deal of work to get them smooth and bright. So polish or paint it is never going to look original again. Then there is the other consideration here which is preservation and the best way to acheive that is to re paint it. In the end it is your lamp and you have to do what you feel is best for you. ::Neil::
Hail & good morning Wim. I can indeed post a few images of my home, aka 'Covenant'. I am blessed to own her free & clear. I am always receptive to those who ask to see images of her, she was built in 1979 in Harkers Island, North Carolina. She's constructed of 2" heart pine planking & weighs in at about 35 ton empty. She carries 800 gallons of diesel and can travel 1600 miles without being refueled. To put that in perspective, she can go from Norfolk, Virginia to Bermuda & back with 300 nautical miles to spare. Bermuda being about 560 nautical miles at sea. She's powered by a single, General Motors Detroit diesel that develops 266 horsepower. She travels at a leisurely but steady 7 knots in even the worse weather. In short, she's a real boat not a plastic 'Clorox bottle'. Thanks for the interest in her. She's one of the 16 that I have owned in my life. I hope I am not coming off as bragging for that is not my intent.
To my eye, the red top clashes horribly with the maroon tank - not close enough to match and not far enough apart to contrast. Normally I'd suggest repainting it to the original colour but given the propensity of you nautical types to polishing brass, I guess that would look best on your boat. As Neil says, it's your lantern...
Hail David. Thank you for your comment about my Bialaddin. One of the reasons that I bought same is the fact that it was in 'raw brass' and would not have to be buffed, et cetera. I'm not quite certain if I qualify as a 'nautical sort' or not. I do know these two things about myself, I don't do brass or obese women. Most of my ships clocks are raw brass and have beautiful patinas; however, I only own one raw brass lantern, my Bialaddin. Incidentally, the vent on it is really quite burgundy not red as my eyes see it. The color is rich looking and well muted. I look forward to seeing it lit in the not too distant future. I am waiting for a new vaporizer as you Brits call it whilst we in America say generator. We Americans have spent the past 250 years correcting all the mistakes you Brits make with the language. Captain Mike De Long in Hampton, Virginia.
What has the subject of obese women got to do with this thread? Please remember that this is a lamp collector's forum. You are being offered good advice; it is up to you whether you accept it or not.
Give over, Steve - you been eatin' meat again? Despite the incidental mention of obese women, this here thread is still far more appropriate (IMHO) in this forum than at least half of , surely... From wickie crap, through carbide lamps to the colour of kero and now, tractors. Whatever next..?
Thank you David. I have deleted the last sentence of my post. I will refrain from over-reacting if I can, but sometimes the provocation is just tooooo! much! Steve.
I like to bring them back as close as possible to how they would have looked when new... If they started out as polished brass them that's how I like to keep them. Sometimes though it's just not possible for one reason or another. For example I have no idea what the original colour of my X246B was as it was stripped back to brass and polished by a previous owner so I'm keeping it "as found".
It may be it was polished from new. Tilley show three X246B's in their web based blurb; a chromed font, polished brass, and red. So it's possibly as sold when new. I have two from the sixties that are painted gold as were many before.
It depends on the date to some extent, but I've never yet found a stripped lantern where absolutely every trace of the original paint had been removed - there are usually some specks remaining under the base rim or in the seams. Anyhow, I dare bet it was red! - and if you resprayed it that colour who's to know it wasn't that originally. I think (note, think!) the polished brass finish started with the Millenium lanterns, so anything much earlier than that will have been painted...
Mine is dated June 1974 and may have been painted gold but I wasn't sure if that was the original paint and it was only visible on the underside of the tank... I have to admit I wasn't particularly keen on the colour if it is original. Is there a match for it if it is?
Captain Mike, Having polished a fair amount of brass during my junior days in the U. S. Coast Guard, I have lost some of my love for brightly polished brass! On the other hand, this forum has informed me of the pitfalls of bare brass and how it can promote premature metal failure. Have you considered polishing and then applying a lacquer coat to seal the metal from the air? Salt water does give brass a beautiful patina, but I'm concerned that the corrosion on the fount would be its undoing. Al (USCG retired)
For my lamps that originally came from the factory as polished brass with lacquer, I usually clean and buff the brass then apply a VHT Clear Coat. I use one that you bake at 200F (93C) just to give extra protection against spills, corrosive material etc.
On my mostly wick lamps that are polished brass, after polishing I use car wax which cleans and preserves the polish for months.
Hail & good afternoon Neighbor Al & CPL viewers. I don't do any polishing of brass. Apart from the one Bialaddin 300x that I have and love that is in raw brass, none of the other lanterns I have are. As I mentioned, I also collect antique ships clocks, many of them are raw brass, some lacquered. You are correct, Al, the salt air environment really speeds up the development of a good patina. So, you were a 'Coastie'....many of your fellow USCG personnel have delighted in coming aboard whilst I was in the Bahamas or other foreign waters under the guise of a routine 'safety inspection'. Thanks for your thoughts, Captain Mike De Long in Hampton, Virginia
