This was a real mess when I got it from a market stall. I have stripped the whole thing back and resprayed the tank "Rover Damask Red" which I just guessed as a near match. In fact it needs to be a bit darker, but this may happen with age. The original hood was black enamel, but so corroded that I have replaced it with one of my Repro Brass E41 style hood caps. I will light it when the paint has hardened a bit more. Another old classic saved from the scrap-yard! Steve.
Hi Steve A nice piece of work you've done there. It looks almost like at Vapalux 300X from 1946 but the top-hood is just wavy here. Nice lamp Claus C
Hi Claus, I do not understand your description of the cap being "wavy here". Is it my photography? or do you mean that the caps that you are used to are "wavy" at the edges? Please help me to understand. Steve.
Hi Steve What I mean is your Bialaddin do not have at flat top-cap as the Vapalux 300X, 1946, from the gallery, but beside that I can see almost no difference. The top-cap of the Bialaddin looks wavy/curvy compared to the flat Vapalux-topcap. I have just bought a Vapalux 300X thats why i noticed, but I have never seen any of them for real yet. I hope I get my one home soon BTW I bought materials for sloe-gin and is just waiting for the sloe's Claus C
Thanks Claus, I see what you mean now. Yes the Vapalux 300x had a flat topped, angular sided cap, the Bialaddins had a curvy one mostly. The origal that came off this lamp was the curved type, so what I have fitted was the most apprpriate substitute. I have the flat type top as well if ever you need one. You can see pictures of them in my Member's Services Advert. Refards - Steve.
Hi Steve The in trade looks nice and I did notice them 1. time you put them there but at that time I didnt have a Vapalux 300X. If my topcap turns out to be worn out, then I'll be back Beside the top-cap, is the Bialaddin 300X and the Vapalux 300X from these years the same? When I look at the Bialaddin and Vapalux in general they often have much alike models - far from Tilley I think. Why is that? Claus C
Hi Claus, I am no expert; all that I have done is make copies of the two different types of enamelled steel hood caps that came on Bialaddin and Vapalux lanterns, and made a brass "copies" of each. I did this because I was so sick of seeing rusted-out old hood caps; and thought that a nice brass repro would look a lot better. When you get your lamp, if the hood cap is crap, just see which type that I offer suits it best. I am not into this to make money! I like to see nice lamps. Regards - Steve.
Because Bialaddin and Vapalux lamps were made by the same company (Willis & Bates and later Bairstow Bros., 1985 Ltd.) in the same factory (Pellon Works, Reservoir Road, Halifax) to the same basic design from about 1940 until 2010 or so. Thus Vapalux and Bialaddin are essentially just trade names for the same product - Vapalux from ~1940 until 1946, then Bialaddin to reflect W&Bs partnership with Aladdin UK until 1968 when the relationship between the two companies ended; afterwards reverting to Vapalux. They're still Vapalux today even though the lanterns are now produced in Korea by a different company altogether, albeit still to the same design. Hope that helps...
Hi Shed-Man "Rover Damask Red" refers to this one? This is what I got this year. In 1949, the military version. It is great, but unfortunately the black enamel cover a little rust.
Hi, You won't get a reply from shed man, he passed away some time ago. The Rover Damask Red just refers to the paint he used when he restored it. What you have there is a 300X in the colour 'Maroon'.
Hi Lin, Your red one is looking very smart! I'm busy restoring a Bialaddin 300X. On mine, the fount, collar and base plate were painted a very dark red-brown burgundy colour, and the brass vent has the black enamel curved cap with the rounded edge.
Hi Lin, When Steve (Shed-Man) died about three years ago, he was so well-liked and respected, we decided that we would like to remember him by leaving his posts on the forum but changing the colour of his name to purple and marking his status as R.I.P. Purple is a colour associated with death and funerals (in the United Kingdom, at least) and R.I.P. stands for 'Requiescat In Pace' which is Latin for 'Rest In Peace'. There is at least one other member so-honoured on CCS/CPL - Andy Sorenson a.k.a. 'Sketch'. Hope that helps...
