Hi everyone. I happened to have a Petromax 523 with a 4-digit code stamped on the fount's baseplate. I couldn't figure out what this code means:- "4768". In particular the last digit: "8". I hope it was not made on the eighth day of the week I'll appreciate if someone could shed some light on this. Cheers.
The code works only for lanterns from the 1960s. The other way round: If the code does not work, you can be sure the lantern was not made in the 1960s. Erik
Judging from the features, I'm guessing its from later than 1960s. It has th G logo and all the features on a 60s Petromax except that the pump knob and pricker wheel are blue instead of brown. It aldo has 'Made in Germany", not Germany Registered. Not sure where is this from.
I suspect we might not know the whole answer to this date code theory. I saw one carrying the date code "1918" and I began to wonder if we had the whole story. It holds up pretty well though. I guess it could just be a factory error, someone stamped an "8" instead of a "7". What I would like to know is: why just the 1960s, why not come up with something for the 1970s? I have to admit, with a few exceptions that code has held up. You're absolutely correct Myn, if it's stamped "Regd in Germany" it's not the same as "Made in Germany"!!
We had a discussion earlier this year about a lantern that also has a number ending with an 8 so there are more lanterns out there. I spoked for a few years ago with a person from Germany that claimed he had spoked with someone that had worked in the Altena factory and that this person said that it was not a date code just an internal factory code. How it is with this we may never know. Personally I think we put the theory on ice until we really know that it is a dating code, if we ever get to know that. Michael
I was wondering if any Petromax from post 1960s or post Altena, Germany are being date coded in any way. I'm guessing some that were made in Portugal, probably by Hipolito?
Well the 1960 Graetz Petromax four digit date code is not a guess there is documentation of. On the first real Petromax meeting in Menden there was a visitor who was the former head engineer at the Graetz Altena plant. Neil McRae and Henry Plews were there too. I spoke to him and visited him afterwards several times. Off coarse more German collectors present there spoke to the man. On an other occasion I was lucky to meet the late Herr M. Aschwanden from (Eugen)Schatz lampen. He told me that especially the military wanted numbers on lanterns, so they used random numbers. I think that this is the story unless somebody can get hold of the factory archive of Hipolito. To the side: If you really want to know something about lantern making the book to read is that of Hermann Lahde former engineer of the Ehrich&Graetz factory in Berlin. As far as I know Bill Courter sells copies of this book. Historical the German book "Signal auf Grün" gives good insight about the history after ww2 in eastern Germany and what happened with the E&G factory. This has nothing to do with date codes but all with how lanterns where made and the logic or un-logic behind numbers.
Wow. Thanks @WimVe . If that's being brought up, all of them would just dissolve into obscurity, not even the history that anyone could remember.
From hytta.de, I've read that the Petromax lanterns manufacture in Altena, Germany had actually continued into the 1970s. How would these look like? Any differences between these and those made during the sixties?
