Germany lantern manufacturers

Model 1015A/S lantern (left) and 5015A/S (right) made by Continental-Licht und ApparatebauGesellschaft m. b. H. Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The model suffix A is for the black enamel ventilators and suffix S is only on those with a searchlight (Leger). Model 1015 may have been made in the 1920’s, (McRae). It was snowing when this image was taken. Model 5015A/S has a “Petromax style” burner that reflects 3000CP. This lantern appears to date from the mid 1930’s to early 40’s. These lanterns are in Erik Leger’s collection.

This Continental Licht 1015A lantern lacks the spotlight attachment as on the one in the above left image. The manometer (pressure gauge) in the left image is on the opposite side of the base rest from the valve wheel, so the latter cannot be seen in this view. This gasoline fueled model, in George Remkus’ collection, has ceramic burner caps (right image).

Continental-Licht’s Model 5015A is different from 5015AS above in that it lacks the shroud and Fresnel lens. The large black fiber wheel (right) controls the fuel flow while the small black fiber wheel controls the tip cleaner. The four-armed metal valve contols the air flow to preheat and the lever (A, right) is used to adjust the fuel air mix. This 300 cp gasoline lantern is in Erik Leger’s collection.

This Continental-Licht searchlight lantern which is also in Erik Leger’s collection, is Model 4615S. A small door for lighting is on the other side of the globe covering. A lever below the globe cage on the side not visible raises and lowers the tip cleaner. Papers that came with this lantern put the date of manufacture at 1929.

Continental Pionier Models 3615 (left and center-left running) and 3815A (center-right running and right) are kerosene fueled, 180 CP single mantle models. Model 3615 has a lever rather than a valve wheel as on the 3815A to a needle to shut off the flow of fuel through the orifice. Model 3618A has the original Colag glass globe and has a number of steel parts, thus Erik Leger, whose collection these are in, believes this model is a war-time product or made shortly after WWII.

Continental Pionier Model 3715 is gasoline fueled and uses alcohol for preheating. This model may date to the 1930s (Leger). As on the above models, the lever facing right is the tip cleaner. This lantern, in Patrick Fisher’s collection, has a replacement filler cap.

These 500 cp Day-Lite lanterns (left and center) & Picostar (right) were made by Metallwarenfabrik Meyer & Niss, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany (Hans-Werner Jehn & Jörg Wekenmann). The Day-Lite lantern (center) is in Fred Kuntz’s collection while the Picostar lantern is in Matt Reid’s collection.

Metallwarenfabrik Meyer & Niss also made this Nr. 362 Day-Lite brand lantern, another kerosene fueled model, but 350 cp. This lantern, in Hans-Werner Jehn’s collection, is preheated with alcohol.

Another Day-Lite lantern, Model 201 is a 200 cp model that is only 28 cm tall. The fount gets hot quickly when the lantern is run. As on the Day-Lite lanterns above, the valve wheel is marked CL and Germany, although the meaning of this abbreviation is not known (Hans-Werner Jehn & Jörg Wekenmann).

Metallwarenfabrik Meyer & Niss also made this Bosse brand lantern that is in Rolf Hübener’s collection. This 500 cp, kerosene fueled lantern lacks a rapid preheater so is preheated with alcohol in a cup. The lantern, that has never been run, was made in the 1960’s.

The only markings on this lantern are Petro Delux, Made in Germany, 350CP. The lantern is preheated with alcohol and is kerosene fueled. Erik Leger found that the parts of this lantern, now in Hans-Werner Jehn’s collection, are similar to a comparable model Petromax, as well as to lanterns made by Petro-Pintsch (below) of Germany, and Providus, of Italy.

The only identification on this Petrostar lantern (lower image) is the same as on the Petro Delux lantern above. This lantern may have been made by Pintsch-Elektro in the later 1950s, or by Meyer & Niss, after about 1965, as those two companies held the trademarks for several similar brands in those periods (Wekenmann). This lantern is in Hans-Werner Jehn’s collection.

This 300 cp kerosene lantern in the petromax style is stamped Petro-Pintsch (Julius Pintsch AktienGesellschaft), Germany on the fount and similarly etched on the globe. This unfired lantern is in Christian Leopoldt’s collection.

F. R. Racek, Bombay, India, imported lanterns from Germany under the Efar Brand. This Efar Model 608 lantern is stamped 100 C.P., Made in Germany, and Quality Imports. This kerosene lantern, in Bernhard Müller’s collection, is also stamped Hasag Model 34. There is no manometer on the other side of the fount.

This lantern is identified on the fount bottom: Louis Runge – Berlin. Anton Kaim knew of German Patent 400248 that was issued on December 15, 1923 for this model. The lantern, in Erik Leger’s collection, is made of mostly brass parts and includes a tip cleaner; the original generator is gone but has been replaced with a Coleman R55. The mica globe (not seen here) was a likely replacement (Coleman) as well.

© 2000-2023 Terry Marsh