Vintage HLP M CNR Piper Montreal Railroad Caboose Marker Signal Lantern Lamp
First off, I dont know the first thing about Railroad Lanterns so Ill do the best I can describing this thing and if my description and/or photos raise more questions feel free to drop me a note & Ill try to clarify what I see or fire over some specific photos. Im pretty sure this is a kerosene Railway Switch Lantern (properly called a lamp) because it seems to have a cast (iron bottom) male post hole fixture on the bottom which, Im guessing, would slide into an open iron post. Damned intuitive of me right?
Were it not for the obvious handle that exists - see why I dont claim to know anything? Its 15.5 high by 9.5 wide with a cast iron bottom, two glass optics - Fresnel lenses (blue & orange) that are 5.5 in diameter, made of stepped glass (see photo) which, I assume, (having read up on Fresnel Lens) focuses the light into a concentrated beam and were often made by Corning Glass. The sliding door that one would access the kerosene burner (I think you railroad folks call this a fount) is marked (embossed) PIPER & MONTREAL and above that is PATENTED and maybe 00-1? On the top of the umbrella type vent on top is embossed HLP with an M under it (see photo) which, of course refers to Hiram L.
Piper Company LTD of Montreal which was formed in 1902. This top vent is hinged & functions fine. The original black paint is chipped in areas (see photos) but theres no appreciable rust anywhere but some surface rust on the door lip that you would raise the door with. The fount or burner is missing to time and appears to be the kind that one would push into the lantern via tracks (see photo). While there are some minor scuffs to the lenses I can see no cracks or dings.
Additionally, I see no other markings that might indicate a specific railroad. All in all (speaking from a complete and total lack of knowledge in these things) I think this is a really great example of an early Railroad Lantern, one which deserves a better home (than here) where it will not be a dust collector. If youre a purist, find a replacement fount; if not, put a light bulb in her and stick it on your back porch or man-cave as a conversation piece!
The item "Vintage HLP M CNR Piper Montreal Railroad Caboose Marker Signal Lantern Lamp" is in sale since Saturday, August 4, 2018. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Transportation\Railroadiana & Trains\Hardware\Lanterns & Lamps".
The seller is "interestingstuff2015" and is located in Goshen, New Hampshire. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Modified Item: No
- Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada
- Brand: Hiram L Piper
- Featured Refinements: Railroad Signal / Caboose