Posted 10 years ago
Sundance
(14 items)
Century Road Club with their Iver Johnson bicycles.1913
Next is close-up of the headlight that was used when these
two fellows went on a New York to San Francisco bicycle
race on May 3, 1913. (Shorpy)
Today I was fortunate to find the same bicycle lamp with the
help of Collectors Weekly.
Solar made by the Badger Brass Mfg. Co.
in Kenosha, Wis. U.S.A. pat'd Feb, 4, 1896 to Feb. 7, 1899.
The lamp is in excellent original condition & is equipped
with the nickel-plated C clamp as well. Rare since most I've seen the bracket clamp is usually missing. All the glass jewels
& front lens are intact.
Pellets of carbide were placed in the bottom & water was
placed in the top. A valve controlled the release of the
water into the carbide chamber. As water hit the carbide, a flammable gas was created which, when struck with a
lighter, ignited to create a bright light.
I will be attaching this beauty to my Iver Johnson bicycle
from the same period. I will keep the all brass headlight ,
called "Neverout" which I have already posted here &
will mount that lamp on another vintage bicycle from
that era.
I have a 1902 advertisement for that light
Thanks for the info.
I see that Popular Mechanics June 1913 issue has many great ads,
including the Solar .
Love that first photo!....:-)
If you like old time photos...check this out !
http://www.shorpy.com/node/15822?
When I click on the photo...it is enhanced very clear with
great details.
Thanks to toolate2, submitted 4 months ago.
Oh!..yes..a wonderful photo sooooo! full of wonderful.. jam packed!! detail, lots to see and will take my time going over it slowly to see it properly...thank you..really loved that!...:-)
Did these things ever explode?
I haven’t thought of using an original pellet-carbide to power the lamp. Not sure if they are still available.
I never have heard of them exploding.
I am thinking of installing a modern lamp unit that is self-powered inside the
lamp. It will light not only the main front lamp, but also both side lamps as well.
One side of the glass lens is red while the other is green, Really nice looking.