Tilley experts ahoy!

Hi!

4 x Tilley happy mantles. Can someone help to identify from what year or decade each of these are from?

Cheers!

 

Mantles are hard to date because they are never shown in catalogues or ads.
At best they have part numbers.
The "Happy Mantles" patent is September, 1950.
My guess for oldest to newest would be 2,1 3,4 with 2 being the oldest.
(I could easily be persuaded that 2 is older than 1 though)
(It almost looks like they were on the marked before the patent was finalised but just guessing)
The owl that looks more like a pineapple is around mid 60's

 

Do you mean that you could be persuaded that 1 is older than 2?

 

Right, yes.
I could be persuaded that 1 is the elder 2 that 1 too.

 

In my opinion, you have them in the correct order.

 

I agree with Jeff...

 

I'd put 1 as the oldest, simply because the graphics are more "arty". The more modern the package, the plainer the design.

 

Yep, exactly as I see it, Henry...

 

I think they are in age order too. The first one states (on the front) made in Hendon. If you turn the other three over, I think the second is likely to say England and the third United Kingdom and/or Dunmurry. Not so sure what the fourth mantle will reveal.

Assuming so, that and the fonts reinforces that the third one is older than the left hand pair.

 

So are 1 and 2 thoriated and radioactive then? When did Tilley stop using Th oxides? Does anybody know?

 

1 2 and 3 are thorium mantles. I have those No. 164 'happy' mantles and they indeed are thorium types.

The last one, there is no "non radioactive" text as some newer H and X mantles?

 

Here's a picture from other side (1, 2 and 3):

 

I see mantle number 1 has type number 2279 and mantle 2 has 2277.
Does that make mantle 2 the older ?

 

@Anthony

In answer to your question, I don't think so.

I can't remember where I've hidden my collection of N.O.S. mantles so for comparison, I've looked at the numbers on various boxes for the 606 vapouriser. Box with red, white and black graphics for newer 606 with crimped in fitting to screw into control cock is marked 2701. Box with black and white graphics for older 606 with screwed in brass fitting is marked 2701/4. If the packaging numbers were sequential, surely the 2701/4 box would contain the newer vapouriser.

 

Again Tilley is out to make it all harder than it needs to be.

An ad showing Happy Mantles before the patent was final.
The bulletin 25 May 1949. Two days after filing for patent.

Patent dates.