Help Identifying Old Light

[WyvernRH]

The wife banished my meagre collection of old cycle lights to the garage during redecorations so when boxing them up I was reminded I owned the lamp shown in the photos below. It was a present, the gifter describing it as 'An old bicycle oil lamp'.
Now I've had my doubts about this being for a bicycle, it is so large. It is an oil lamp tho, the interior is empty except for a clip to hold a reservoir and a reflector on the back wall. There is a slot for the wick winder on the other side with a hinged window to light the wick (I suppose) The whole front hinges up to insert the reservoir. Could be a candle lantern I suppose, but then why the winder slot?

So, anybody have any ideas?




And just for interest sake, I stuck a Miller oil lamp on a mid 1950's bike that would have been just at the end of the oil/acetylene period for lighting. It looks huge compared to electrical lights! (The bike is a 70's Bates re-paint of a 1955 Jack Taylor)


Richard

[feelthewheel]

Found a few examples that have similarities, all seem to be from about 1890-1900:

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/28325/ ... -casswell/
https://velocipedegallery.com/bells-whi ... 2-oil-lamp
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1840200079

It's also worth checking out the bicycle gallery:

https://velocipedegallery.com/velo-gallery

[WyvernRH]

Found a few examples that have similarities, all seem to be from about 1890-1900:

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/28325/ ... -casswell/
https://velocipedegallery.com/bells-whi ... 2-oil-lamp
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1840200079

It's also worth checking out the bicycle gallery:

https://velocipedegallery.com/velo-gallery

Cheers! Some links I hadn't found there - very useful.

Richard

[CmdrBiggles]

That light is more likely to be a coachlamp for horsedrawn vehicles (of which some can still be seen today on gypsy wagons in Central Victoria, converted to battery use at safety and regulatory behest.

Meanwhile, interesting throwback to names.
Bates (here in Victoria somewhere) did the frame finishing and painting of many of the long-defunct Hillman Cycles. My first MTB (1986), which was also a first for Hillman, spent time at Bates workshop (it was delivered to me with a worksheet from them) having gold filleting and red/white/gold pinstriping and scrollwork done on the bike.

It's probable to that Cecil Walker also had frames finished there.

[P!N20]

Bates (here in Victoria somewhere)

Coburg

[CmdrBiggles]

Bates (here in Victoria somewhere)

Coburg

Yep, that's it.

[feelthewheel]

^ Brothers Rupert and Leo (their frame builds are normally stamped 'R' or 'L' depending on which brother made it). Were located in the (now demolished) sheds opposite the Coburg train station.

[P!N20]

opposite the Coburg train station.

Batman train station

[Gordon1]

and red/white/gold pinstriping and scrollwork done on the bike.

And that scrollwork was most likely completed by Kenn Dickie, who unfortunately isn't doing much work these days but still keeps an interest on what is going on in the world of bikes.

[CmdrBiggles]

and red/white/gold pinstriping and scrollwork done on the bike.

And that scrollwork was most likely completed by Kenn Dickie, who unfortunately isn't doing much work these days but still keeps an interest on what is going on in the world of bikes.

Yes it was Kenn.
There were two paint jobs of an earlier touring bike that were also given the ornate scrollwork treatment — one initially black, with gold lug in-fills, gold, red and white scrollwork and my name in red/gold capitals just back from the junction of the headtube. Later, after damage caused by VicRail, the frame was resprayed white, with black scrollwork and red dots — extremely elegant for its time.

[WyvernRH]

So, back to the lamp
As CmdrB suggested, I am fairly sure this is a lamp off of a buggy or similar horse drawn conveyance. It has many similarities to the early bicycle lamps as suggested by feelthewheel but it IMHO is way too large to be used easily on a bicycle, except maybe a highwheeler?
So, as I'm winnowing out the collection, it gets to be the first one to go after a bit of restoration work. No idea where I'm going to try and sell it tho Probably Gumtree I suppose.

Richard