Lighting pag 2-2
18/08/04
13okt24
09dec2024
Looking for background information about lamps and lanterns, I found out that here in Europe not much was saved. Most of the knowledge is, as we say, between the ears of a few (?) collectors. And when You consider that there are collectors that only specify themselves in a certain type of lamp or manufacturer, then You know that finding specific information is a question of finding the right person. The verry good thing is that they are mostly verry nice and friendly people and willing to share what they have. Lucky for us collectors some collegue´s make a website, the site from Alan Moore is almost famous for pressure Lamps, the Aladdin knight also have a good site. The guild page of The International Guild of Lamp researchers founded in 1997 is a fountain of knowledge. A basic and classic work about lamp-developement is the publication "The Origin and Development of the Incandescent Parafin Lamp" of A. Ramsey from 1968 verry good. I got a copy from Anton Kaim, and made it ready for the new age by converting it into a webpage. The only reason for putting it here on my website is SELF-STUDY don´t misuse it for what else reason. 
The Origin and Development of the Incandescent Parafin Lamp
Manufacturer: Information about manufacturer is in Europe hard to find. Lucky for the dutch collectors is the fact that they have an international patent office, wich can give a lot of information about names and patents. Also international there is still a lot of information left and available. More difficult is it to make or get a picture of a specific type of burner in relation to who invented and made it. For example what was the relation between E&G and Falk and Stadelman.

Together with Anton Kaim, am I trying to get a complete picture of the German firm Ehrich & Graetz of Berlin. E&G has become world famous with there Petromax lantern. This 300-500CP lantern is and was the high-end of (portable)pressure lamps. Till this day, copies are made all around the world. On this moment the German firm Heinze Gmbh carries, legally, the name Petromax. They also make the Geniol lantern. Other names are : Butterfly, Hippolito, Angor, Red Hart and Workhorse. All these lantern are (exact) copies of the 1910 made Petromax. Less known is that Max Graetz in 1889 in fact began the developement of a whole range of products for the modern household. Beginning with light, oil/gas/electric, cooking, radios etc. If we only look at the lihting we can see; 
  • Traditional oilamp with Kosmos brander, 
  • Pressure-less mantle lamps, Eugeos, 
  • Petromax pressure lamps, 
  • Graetzin; gas lighting. 
  • Graetzor; electrical lighting. 

    A nice picture of the firm we get with a german publication that was made with the 70 birthday of Max Greatz. (A copy was got from a german museum and again don´t misuse this information. 

    • Zum 70. Geburtstag des Herrn Max Graetz".



    In spring 2003 Neil McRae did a good study and wrote an article "Petromax a myth ?" about the Petromax design in combination with the use of gasoline. With this knowledge we can safely say that the Petromax lantern isn't a multi-fuel lamp.

    I have also made a gallery of lamps and lanterns I have seen. On the -unknown- page are some pictures of aDitmar heating lamp ? Any information about this lamp is verry welcome. (There are a lot of high-res pictures, so it will take some time to load.


    A good document on gaslighting is "De Gasverlichting 1941" from dhr. Duynstee. It is a historical overview (in dutch) on gas(street)lighting in Holland around 1941.