I have just acquired this Petromax sign. It is heavy steel and ceramic; 56cm diameter with 4 fastening holes; and weighing about 2.20 kilograms. I don’t know much about this sign so any information would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Tony
Hi Tony, This sign is a more recent replica! Unfortunately!! I downloaded a picture from an auction in the U.S. You can really see the difference there! If you zoom in a bit on the picture I sent, you can clearly see the ‘G’ in the logo on the lamp. The sign that was offered in the US must have been manufactured in Altena after 1953. In 1953, the logo changed from “EG” to just “G.” The quality of the sign from the US is completely different, and so is the font! That’s how you can spot fakes pretty quickly. Best regards, Jörg
I can't say much about the signs; I don't know where they were made or on whose behalf. But I can see that the Petromax Rapid 828/829 models pictured are all the versions with the smooth carrying frame,which were manufactured from late 1956 to mid-1958.I can't find an E in the G on einher of the lanterns pictured.It wouldn't fit the model with the smooth carrying frame anyway. (1956-1958 ) Except for the handwheel on Tony's sign, the Petromax models are remarkably accurate in their representation.
I don't know anything about these signs either, but I must say that in general the Sign Tony posted look a bit more "amateurish" or modern made. Especially the text "Made in Germany" seems to just have been pasted over afterwards. Still a nice item, no doubt.
Thanks, @Jörg Wekenmann, @Reinhard & @Carlsson I figured it was “modern” and most likely reproduction, but I’m curious as to when and where it was produced, because it turned up in Australia. I did a Google and an AI search on the image, but did not locate the same sign design. Cheers Tony
Hi Tony, this morning I was searching for Petromax advertising on Ebay and I found this: Kind regards Jörg
Jörg Interesting that they are ?copies of an older design; and mine above is of a newer design. I’ll see if I can find out anything more from the seller. I’ll also see if I can work out how the different ceramic paints were layered. Cheers Tony
I have been told by the person from whom I received this sign, that he bought it from a Bendigo Swap Meet 6 or 7 years ago. Tony
Hi Tony, Wherever there’s a market, there are counterfeits! Unfortunately!! Take a look at this lantern being sold in Indonesia. Someone really went overboard with this one! The logo on the lantern only includes the ‘G,’ so it was manufactured after 1953! The lantern itself, however, is a Petromax 824! Once again, the sun is stylized, and the lantern isn’t positioned exactly in the center like on the original, but slightly to the left of it. The “Made in Germany” text is also a modern computer font. Best regards, Jörg
There where sign made for an early Petromax meeting. A collector had them made. I have to dig deep what year. It was a limited, not cheap, item. But the biggest give away to check if a sign is real: the relief. original signs are in relief. This was also the big problem with the sign of this meeting, there is no relief, simply because this is way to expensive, to have made.
There’s no doubt my sign is not authentic, but I’m curious about its origin. The price I paid suited this fact. It will end up on the wall of the shed… Cheers Tony
This is one of the reproduction signs Wim mentioned. It is heavy on enamel and was digitally printed on the metal disc. But this one was labeled and sold as a repro, not an old original. Erik
