Share your favorites on Show & Tell

locomotive lens?

In Railroadiana > Railroad Lanterns and Lamps > Show & Tell.
Railroadiana634 of 1322Scale Model Ryder Ericsson Hot Air Pumping Engine Lackawanna Railroad Advertisement…..
0
Love it
0
Like it

Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 9 years ago

    funkyweaver
    (1 item)

    We were cleaning out a relative's garage and found this piece of glass. I asked another relative if they knew what it was and they said it was a locomotive lens. After doing a little bit of research, I still have no idea. This lens came from my grandfather-inlaw, who would be about 80 years old now. The lens is in Pennsylvania and most likely this is where he got it, since he never traveled anywhere. It's is 21 inches in diameter and over 1/4 inch thick, and made of glass. Anyone have any idea on what or where it came from? There are no markings on it.

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Railroad Lanterns and Lamps
    See all
    Railroad Lantern Fitchburg RR Brass Top Bell Bottom RY Red Globe Ny Mass CT Ham
    Railroad Lantern Fitchburg RR Brass...
    $190
    M M Buck Frisco Coonskin Railroad Lantern Bell Bottom Etched Globe Stl SF .99
    M M Buck Frisco Coonskin Railroad L...
    $188
    PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE Railway Lantern Cast Globe Adams & Westlake Railroad Lamp
    PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE Railway Lant...
    $125
    1886 Patent HAM No. 15 Reflector Kerosene Lantern Patented Wall Lamp Mrkd Globe
    1886 Patent HAM No. 15 Reflector Ke...
    $255
    logo
    Railroad Lantern Fitchburg RR Brass Top Bell Bottom RY Red Globe Ny Mass CT Ham
    Railroad Lantern Fitchburg RR Brass...
    $190
    See all

    Comments

    1. Kydur Kydur, 9 years ago
      Is it flat or is it convex? I'm presuming that since you referred to it as a lens that it's likely convex. It's probably a piece of "bubble glass" (a.k.a. dome glass) - a bowl-shaped piece of glass? More pictures, especially from the side might help.

      I have a 7.25" glass lens - it's a solid piece of glass that's flat on one side and convex on the other... basically a very large magnifying glass. It was used as part of a searchlight on an old boat.

      If yours is of uniform thickness (bubble/dome glass) then it was more likely part of an old picture frame. Circular and oval glass of this sort was very popular on the older photo frames, but would serve no purpose as a lens since it doesn't focus or refract light, and it's also quite fragile so wouldn't last too long on the front of a train locomotive!

      https://www.google.ca/search?biw=1275&bih=919&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=bubble+glass+frame&oq=bubble+glass+frame
    2. Rustfarm Rustfarm, 9 years ago
      What else did you find???

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.