Just bought this Guardsman, could anyone help with dating it please? No visible date code on the base, there is no engraving (lettering or owl logo) on the painted brass font, just the decal. Cage is steel, glass is marked Durasil (instead of Pyrex). The hood is not retained by the handle & the preheater is the older butterfly style.
Thanks Tony. Is there a definitive dating table / matrix anywhere ? I'm not going to restore this one, to me it's in fine original condition.
The hood looks to be in really nice condition! I find the brown enamel often degrades faster and worse than the black. Has anyone else noticed this?
Makes sense. Tilley exports were pretty well exclusively the De-Lux speculum plated lanterns and they always had the black hood. Brown hoods were standard on the gold painted lanterns which was the standard lantern in the UK so is by some margin the most common here. ::Neil::
Obviously mine hasn't seen much use - the preheater can't have been lit many times as the top surfacte is barely discoloured.
Nice lamp, I have a couple myself, but I think your hood could be better. I would also agree with 1950’s
While the hood would be an easy replacement I don't like the "Trigger's Broom" approach to restoration - that's why I haven't yet decided what to do with my Mk1 Pork Pie. I don't want to end up with a hybrid of non-original parts. I also have an interest in vintage stationary engines & prefer the "working clothes" look to preserve their history. Paul.
Sorry Paul, I take back what I said about the hood, it dosnt make sense as it is in really good nick. I think it was supposed to say couldn’t be better
If it was mine I'd replace the seals, clean the glass and if the vaporiser works OK, I'd fill 'er up and get 'er going! I've resurrected worse than that and been very happy.
Don't worry, Malcolm, no offence taken! I just think restoration can be taken too far & the originality is lost.
Fine resolution there. I might also clean the tank up a bit but as you like it. The main thing is how it works - if it burns it is doing what it was built to do. The rest is patina - worth money to some - or not to others. Well done.
