Here is a Gloria Table Lamp, made in Australia around 1937. It is gasoline. This is the control for the pre-heater. Fuel control. The tank is all brass. The vapouriser (generator) is made of heavier brass than a Coleman. It has a "Tilley-type" pump with an NRV at the end of the removable pump. Some detail of the NRV in which the spring clips into two opposite slots. It takes a 3/16 diameter pip cut from 2mm viton. The inside of the vapouriser: a steel spring with a cloth shroud. The pricker and brightness control rod/needle. Note the tapered needle (that I had to straighten - see below). I did not take it off the lamp. Note the two part shade holder. Heavy nickelled steel. The burner is the same as on an Australian Gloria 379 from the same period. As it came: Testing the burner. First test mantle. This, by the way, was the pricker/brightness control! Finally got the preheater to work after much carburettor cleaner! Austramax mantle. Here's the lamp next to its contemporary Gloria 379 lantern: same burner. My reason for giving it a circa 1937 date, is that the burner first appeared around this time with the Gloria 379 gasoline lantern, and Gloria stopped producing pressure lanterns somewhere around 1938. This image form the National Library of Australia ("Trove"). Cheers Tony
@Tony Press You said "My reason for giving it a circa 1937 date, is that the burner first appeared around this time with the Gloria 379 gasoline lantern, and Gloria stopped producing pressure lanterns somewhere around 1938." Yes, the following 1939 advertisement was the future of Gloria Light Co. Gloria had been producing electric lighting in Australia for a substantial time prior to their demise in the pressure lamp manufacturing field.
A fine restoration accompanied by detailed images (as always). I like the crackle finish on the fount, it has certainly stood the test of time. What stops the weight of the shade from pushing the outer ring of the carrier, down over the cross-piece ? Henry.
@Henry Plews Henry, The centre piece has been punched at both ends like this: Even though it sits tightly against the outer ring, I feel it would not be something to rely on with a glass shade. I'm thinking about making the centre piece permanently affixed to the outer ring. Cheers Tony
I think I've worked out how the pre-heater functions... but I'm not sure. This is the control assembly from a Gloria 379, but it is the same as on this table lamp. Note the small nut on the bottom of the cast brass. It's a nipple with a jet that has a hole that takes a fine pricker (eg a Coleman 236 pricker). It has a "passage" directly to the red control wheel shown in the above photos. Cheers Tony
Tony, The reason you are quite right to not rely on this shade holder to hold a glass shade is because they are designed to hold a parchment shade. If I was you, I know I'm not, rather than alter the original design, I would simply look for a substitute shade holder that can support the weight of a glass shade. I'm sure you have some Coleman shade holders that will do the trick, if not, they are easily obtainable.
@Tony Press I had wondered if that was the method employed. As @Matty says, "designed to hold a parchment shade", thus no need to weld the two pieces together. Henry.
@Henry Plews & @Matty Matty is right... what I need is parchment shade. (I also need a few more glass shades like the one above for other lanterns). Cheers Tony
In the photos above of the lamp lit, you will see the the pricker is in a raised position. Gloria describes the pricker mechanism as both a pricker and a brightness regulator. The reason I had it in a raised position when taking the photos above was because their were flames outside the mantle, and I could get a bright light using the pricker. My thought at the time was that the jet was enlarged. Yesterday I did some fiddling around with the nipple, cleaned the threads and mating surfaces, and re-set the nipple in the top of the vapouriser with a touch of high temperature Loctite. It’s now running perfectly with the pricker in the fully down position. (Photo in daylight in shed): Cheers Tony
I finally got round to listing this lamp in the PLC. As we don't know the real model number it is designated Model AK. ::Neil::
The lantern version of this Table Lamp is here: Gloria 379 Lantern (Made in Australia; circa 1937) Cheers Tony
@Matty Nice one ! Like @Tony Press example, the crackle finish looks to be in excellent condition. Henry.
@Henry Plews Thanks Henry, yes it does seem to be in great shape. I haven't received the lamp yet. @Tony Press I wasn't trying to rain on your parade. I was simply meaning to show the mica globe as it should be. I'm a bit baffled as now I look back through this topic, I can't see the posts discussing the mica globe.
Stunning lamp there Tony @Tony Press and also Matt @Matty. Would love to see it with a shade though; any kind that will enhance the looks! /Conny
It is a real pain when you are bidding on something and then someone contacts the seller directly and he pulls the listing off ebay ..... such is life I suppose. Well done on getting the lamp Matty. I am not pissed at you Matty (it is only a lamp - albeit a rare one) but rather at the process. It has happened numerous times to me (to all of us) and it does get tiring. I am reluctant to start playing this game but maybe that is what is required. Cheerio.
Above in this post I said: "...and Gloria stopped producing pressure lanterns somewhere around 1938". This comment was made based on information previously discussed here on CPL about the Gloria Light Co. of Australasia, its eventual purchase by JB Chandler in the 1930s, and the attempted sale of its Melbourne lamp manufacturing plant in the late 1930s. In the latest edition of Neil McRae's Pressure Lamp Catalogue, he refers to research by Matt Purtell indicating that Gloria revived manufacture of pressure lamps during World War II, and may have continued manufacture and/or sale until about 1950 (?in league with Collins Bros). Thanks for the research, Matt and Neil. Tony
