Welcome Tom, Can't see much detail from that fuzzy image, but it resembles the type of lamp fitted to railway signals of the semaphore type like this:
It looks to be an ex Belgian army signaling lantern. They came in 2 sizes,I have a couple of the large model, new old stock. They were used during the 1950s and '60s. Maybe other countries also used these, I don't know. One can use tinted glasses (or, rather 'plastics') and cut outs to warn for mine fields and such, or to simply show which way to continue. Quite a few years ago I turned down an offer of 20 or more of these, to be taken away for free. Glad I did not take up the offer... Best regards, Wim
It is the large version. They are quite heavy, because of all the whistles & bells. Fine as a gimmick, not much use as "lighting equipment" which they were never meant to be. These lanterns had to be discrete (enemy actions!) and practical in use. Designed for a specific task which they did perfectly. Best regards, Wim
Excellent! Are all the signal plates arrows, or are there different symbols? Curious to know also - how and when they might have been deployed. Route direction may be one of course, but someone would have to go back and retrieve all!
Warning signs at danger points (eg mine field, stray bombs etc.) and war time temporary traffic signs. There are (at least) 4 different arrows, and each arrow can be used in 4 positions (like the one in the photo, pointing straight up, upside down, left, right). another one is at an angle (pointing to a corner) and then there are both models with a 'foot' on the arrow, giving it a different meaning. Not present in my examples, but a little voice tells me there should also be a X . As I never saw a manual for these (no longer used when I spend some time in the Belgian army late 1970s) I can't give further explanation on the arrows. I might however take a few extra photos, also with the lantern "in use". I'll think about it. Best regards, Wim
Always curious why somebody buys something and then asks what it is..... But it is a Belgium (?) army route marking lantern.
You can drop the question mark Wim, it IS a Belgian army route marking thingy. Not worth much as a user thing but maybe useful as a discussion item.
I'll do my best @Tom , but it's rather hectic at the mo. I thought I'd have some spare time having stopped working in january but my commitment as a volunteer to help run a museum etc. in one of the fortresses near Antwerp (Belgium), with another member of the board going berserk and all is not easy. We'll survive this crisis, just as we survived other crises the last couple of years but this one takes a lot of time and energy. No worries mate, it'll be a pleasure to do something that relaxes my mind! Sorry for the rambling btw but it had to get of my chest. Life is still beautiful! Best regards, Wim
Hi Wim, I can't find anything on my examples, no name, no place of manufactory, no year, nothing at all! There was a company in the city of Mechelen, Orlians & Co who made lanterns for the military, railway, road work companies and such. Maybe they were involved, I don't know. I also have no information of these being used by other armies. I have the feeling everyone else had switched to battery powered equipment by that time. The lanterns were kept in military warehouses for a great number of years, about 10 years ago they were dumped. Youth organizations were given the opportunity to buy these for 1 or 2 euros. As they cannot really be used as a lantern for illuminating a room or campsite or similar no-one was interested in them. I wonder where the bulk of them ended, probably in the dump. Give them another 15-20 years and they'll become "collectibles"! Best regards, Wim
It surprises me that you have never seen a lamp you didn't want to buy or bought, yet didn't know what it is. More than half my lamps I own are probably in the "I'll find out what it is later" category. Perhaps that is because of my lack of knowledge of lamps or perhaps because I often try to find odd lamps to buy. Perhaps it is a combination of both.
Can't remember. Maybe there are no "unknown" lamps around where I look and buy. But I also maybe are not that difficult: This lantern is green, it doesn't has a pump. It doesn has metal plates with arrows stamped out. It has coloured "windows" So for me it's a: Belgium, green army marker lantern with no special maker. oh and it runs on kerosene.
Just a quick update: Tomorrow I will be taking a photo of all the aspects and parts so you can see them better if it helps
