This is my example of a 1944 Vapalux 300. The hood is stamped with the crow foot and 1944, this matches the cage collar with the triangle shaped opening for the control cock. The patent number stamped on the cage is 540783. There is nearly no corrosion on the inside of the fount (the yellowish stuff is a sort of anti corrosion wax that I put inside) and only minor blemishes on the outside. So is the top of the hood. The burner has it's hexagon nuts, the glass is very thick walled and has no letterings on it. The only part that seems to be wrong is the black knob on the control cock, maybe it (or the whole control cock) was replaced at some point. Notice the two nuts of the bail, there is a slightly difference in their thickness.
That's a nice lantern! But Steve(! )... you live in Germany. Why this obsession about British lamps I can see in you? I'm just curious, that's all. Don't read to much into this. But Germany has so many more interesting lamps than any other country (well, perhaps with the exception of the USA), and they are all at your very doorstep! And still, as it seems, you have chosen to focus on this very tiny area of British lamps. How come?
Thanks Christer! Well, my collection started with a 1960s Bundeswehr Petromax 829 500cp that I got as a Christmas present in 2006, followed by two new Aladdin 23 in 2007 and 2008, intended to be used when it gets colder. They are very nice to be used inside a house, in opposite to pressure lamps. I first saw british lamps in a german online-shop (where I bought the Aladdins) and fell in love with the green M320 and the red X246B, knowing nothing about them. I started to read the german forum and were hesitating because of the swelling vapouriser problem that occures sometimes when using german paraffin in british lamps and that was discussed in the forum. It took some heaters, stoves and lamps that I bought before I dared to buy my first british used M320 in 2010. I use it with Shellsol T, which is (regarding to the forum) said to avoid the cracking process of paraffin in the vapouriser of british lamps that causes carbon to built up and swell the vap. In the meantime there were brass vaps available so that the danger of a swelling vap was no reason any longer not to buy british lamps. To make a long story short I like british lamps because they are so simple to use and to maintain, no fiddling around with correct distances, rapid pre heaters etc., and there are so many different models still availabe in online auctions. In my book one Petromax (and their clones) looks like the other, I have only three of them (2x500cp and 250cp) plus one Geniol (350cp). Of course there are different models and brands but the older ones are very sought after and get high prices. And there are a lot of collectors here that want to buy them. But don't think I only have a few brands, I have Aladdin, Bialaddin, Coleman, Geniol, Optimus, Petromax, Tilley, Vapalux and two Veritas. Not to mention the makers of heaters and stoves. But the largest amount of lamps are Tilleys My collection is not that big and I mainly have only one example of each model, lots of them very common but some rarer lamps as well. Another reason is, that I like this forum very much, there is a completely different atmosphere compared to the german forums, at least I have that impression . Even if I have some difficulties ( regularly or frequently David ) writing in english I enjoy it very much here! Even when every lamp from the UK gets expensive due to the shipping costs I enjoy it very much to have some lamps over here that not everybody has. A lot of collectors over here have the Petromax boxes from the Swiss Army and I don't like those big boxes, where should I store them There are more brands that built Petromax clones, but it is always the same, where I live there are none to find on car boot sales and if there is one listed in an online auction there are lots of bidders that want it. Of course it's the same in the british bay, but mostly only with VL1 or Donuts... Stay tuned, I will surely list more...
Seriously, Stephan, your written English is an exemplar for many of the English-speaking members here and on CCS...
Thanks a lot, David! If I only knew always the right vocabulary so it's better for me to write, giving me the time to look up the one or other word needed just in case my school english is insufficient...
This here is the only Forum in the www, where you can present your international lamps and members give qualitive good answers. This was in the past in the German Forums too. But now:
Karli, what do you mean has happened to the German forums? I follow atleast the Px-forum, and think it is OK. But it is of course not so oriented in the documentation- and image showing bit as this forum. That's the big advantage, and purpose, with CPL, but expertise answers is still available on the German forums, aren't they?
Christer, I think that is one of the big advantages of this forum: The clear structure, different sections for every brand of lamps, different sections for communicating about lamps and problems, easy to find informations and a lot of other things. In the german forums there is no such good structure, it is very difficult to find answers and if somebody asks the first answer he gets is often to use the forum search. Not very polite nor helpful for someone who doesn't even know the right words to search for. I don't know all the posts here but I don't remember to have seen such a cheeky answer. On CPL the opposite is the case, the questions were answered or a link provided if answered earlier, and all of this in a very polite manner, no rant at somebody, no ridiculous answers. Sometimes I had the impression some guys in the german forums want to stay among themselves. Of course these experiences are based on a few impressions I had and I am pretty sure over all it's not the rule. But it made me to subscribe here. More important I think it has a lot to do with the moderators of a forum, some do their job very well ( all I know here ) and some don't, so that it belongs finaly to the members how they behave to each other. The above is based on my personal experiences and / or observations over a limited period and it doesn't necessarily represent the experiences someone else might have made or will make. There are a lot of guys that like the german forums the way they are, so in the end it's a matter of taste and of personally demands. Ray said: "I have a good taste" - even if the only tea I like is made with hops flowers and David said: "I know quality when I see it" and therefore I say: CPL rocks! What would I have done without english language knowledge?
Beautiful lamps , and great photos ! I have two Vapalux 300 , 1943 and 1944. Both have black knob like yours, and i'm sure they are originals. I want to restore my lamps. You can suggest where to get pierced glasses ? Sorry for my English ,thanks, bye Gianni
That black control looks like the ones fitted to post 1968 Vapalux 320 lanterns. Seems to be in crisp mint condition and maybe it is far to new looking to be a 1944 original. Since parts from these much later lamps will fit the WW2 period products I wonder if that indicates an aftermarket replacement. ::Neil::
I've also got a Vapalux 300 with a black knob and I can absolutely guarantee it's not original. I know it isn't because I took it from a modern 320 and fitted it myself one afternoon just to get the lamp running. Neither are your black knobs original - just as Neil says, they're decades later. The original knob on mine was the early brass one with the incised arrow. I must get around to replacing it (when I find it again )...
thanks for the reply ! my lamps belonged to my father since 1945.I think they have been left by British troops when they left after WWII.I had them before 1960. So I think they can be original .If I'm wrong I'll try to find a right time knob. greetings. Gianni
It seems there are two different sorts of black knobs. The one described as on (wartime) Vapalux 300's and the ones that appeared on the Vapalux 320 model. The early knobs have female thread and screw clockwise onto a male threaded spindle like all the maroon coloured knobs. The 320 variety has a brass screw central in its facing (introduced with the 310 model) that attaches the plastic knob onto a (later shortened) spindle with female threads. Hence, you cannot interchange both varieties. If a later replacement, how likely is that if these black knobs without a central brass screw show up on the only model (300) going in the later WWII era so far? Especially lamps delivered for the war effort have a known variety on details, so a black knob, which imo looks so much better on a gray lamp than the maroon variety, is entirely possible as a genuine item. And, Stephan, may I congratulate you with this beautiful lamp? To have also a shade with it seems extraordinary as well. Mike
Beautiful lamp and great condition but some might say, technically, incorrect glass for lower collar type (holed glass goes with slotted collar) and to help a fellow lampie I would make the sacrifice and swap your 'incorrect glass' for a straight glass....lol.... Joking of course. Great find.
