Hi all, This is an incandescent pressure alcohol projector lamp and is probably made around 1910. These type of lamps were the lighting source in a projection device, as a Magic Lantern (Skioptikon) or a Cinematograph. This lamp has a stamped numbering 19.1003 on the cast lamp stand. If this is a production number, it will probably be March 1910, as these type of alcohol burner lamps seem to be have been used for a short period around 1910. Later the carbon arc type of projection lighting took over from the early "Lime Light" and the alcohol incandescent lighting. This lamp is most likely German and also most likely made of Gustav Barthel. you can see a Barthel "Alpha" projection lamp with a nearly identical burner as on my lamp .... Alpha This is a tiny device and it was difficult to find a proper mantle for it. After a good clean-up and some adjustments, I was able to lit her up. This burners has an adjustable cap or tube to restrict the air intake. These pressure alcohol burners need more air intake restriction than you would anticipate, and is very sensible for the air/fuel mix ratio. Finally got a fine tuning and a good light outcome result; probably around 80 - 100 CP. A nice odd lamp for my collection. /Conny Here are some other alcohol projector lamps from around 1910 ……
Astounding ! 99% of the planet would not even have recognised it for what it is. Conservation of history in action here all. Well done Conny - no-one here can fail to be impressed.
@coleman54 Larry, G'day you old bas.... Would you mind uploading that advert again but use full image rather than thumbnail? I'm only guessing you used thumbnail because the image is a bit small for my tired old eyes to read it.
@coleman54 @Matty Thanks Larry and Matt for those interesting alcohol projection lamp ads! I think the period around 1910, give and take a couple of years, is the right time period for these alcohol projector lamps! /Conny
Conny your wee lamp looks weirdly fascinating. Could you make a cup of coffee with it? (Just joking of course!).
Very fascinating indeed. Makes me wonder what other lighting devices mankind would have develop if electrification is still as scarce today as it had been, a hundred years earlier.
Something I honestly don't get is, why some inventions like electric plants that provided electricity for everything in the home aren't dusted off and put to good use in these days of bleeding heart global warming fanatics. Quirks had a plant that stored electricity in batteries. The batteries were charged by a a windmill and from all accounts worked very well. It must have worked well because they sold them for decades. I can only imagine technology has far surpassed what was available to Quirks including battery and light bulb (LED) technology. I have seen these magic lanterns in the 3 forms of burner type, non -pressure, pressure and hollow wire. The hollow wire mantle magic lamp is one of my favourite items I have found over the years.
I love all these inventions. They do come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and geometries. Sometimes its the particular mechanism that's intriguing and interesting. Sometimes its sheer elegance and ingenuity in the ideas.
@Matty Have seen a the remants of those 32 volt wind/battery lighting plants on old farms. Apparently they worked quite well. Nowadays it is standalone solar/battery plants for where the cost of mains electricity is prohibitive.
