
Dimensions
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In
the early nineteen hundreds, makers of lantern globes started manufacturing a standard globe
size of 5 3/8". Although they were generally made for
railroad lanterns, the
globes fit many other types of lanterns. Some had an oval or pear shape to them.
In contrast, the Dark
lantern globe was a non- standard size and shape. It was 5
1/4" high and had a straight cylinder shape with four unique ribs
that ran vertical along its sides. The cylinder
shape was necessary to allow the Dark lantern shield to be raised and lowered because a standard oval globe was too wide.
Although the |
Deck lantern also used the ribbed globe, it was not functionally required because it doesn't have a
shield. Use of the same globe style was probably due the
lanterns being manufactured at the same time with very similar dimensions and
uses. It was probably economical also.
The globes were available in
a variety of colors. Clear and red are
pictured below. Although I haven't seen them, blue and
green globes are documented to have been manufactured by the Macbeth-Evans Glass
Company in 1914. (See
footnote) Some globes turn a wonderful shade of purple
over time. This condition is due to the fact that some of the glass
used in that era
had a high magnesium content. A chemical bonding process occurred
between the magnesium content of the silica used in the glass and
prolonged exposure to the suns ultra-violet rays causing the
purple tint. Not all clear-glass globes produced during that era had the tendency to exhibit
this phenomenon. Some globe manufacturers, Macbeth-
Evans Glass
Company for example, took
extraordinary pains to use only the finest and purest of silica
in their processing. An example of a purple tinted globe
is shown below. Corning Glass Company also made Deck and
Dark lantern globes. They marked their globes with the
"PYREX" trademark. A red globe is shown
below.
Coming
Soon.... Detailed measurement chart for Deck & Dark
globes!
Over
the last several years, I've observed that many of the
Deck and Dark lantern globes have different dimensions.
Some of the globes do not fit in all of the Deck and Dark
lanterns... making the globes... Not Interchangeable. Some globes must go specifically with certain manufacturers' lanterns.
I am working on a detailed chart that will clarify the size differences and
specify which globes fit into which lanterns.
Please note that this has
been a tedious process and is taking longer than expected, but
I hope to complete it soon. Thanks for your patience.
New
Globes listed - One of the NEW additions to
the GLOBES page is a rare deck lantern globe marked
"F.H.L. &
Co.". The marking stands for the manufacturer F. H.
Lovell & Co, who in the 1900’s made ship lighting &
other lanterns. Later in the 1920's they became the
Lovell-Dressell Company who is also well known for it's
railroad lanterns. Another NEW
addition is a "Porter Son" globe. Please see
the Dark lantern pages for new photos of Porter dark lanterns
not documented before.
Both globes are rare
because of the scarcity of the markings. While marked for a specific lantern company,
it is possible they were manufactured by a third party glass
manufacturer. But this is only an assumption.
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Manufacturer
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Color
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Hieght
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Markings
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Unmarked
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Clear
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5 1/4
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standard
unmarked four rib globe
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Unmarked
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Clear
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5 1/4
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unmarked
SIX rib globe
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KOPP
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Red, Clear
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5 1/8
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marked "KOPP" near top of globe
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Corning
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Red
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5 1/8
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marked "PYREX" near top of globe
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MacBeth Evans Glass Co.
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Clear, Red, Green & Blue
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5 1/4
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marked "MacBeth No.218 Pearl Glass"
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M'KG.
Co.
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Clear
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5 1/4
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marked "M'KG. Co." near top of globe
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Wm. Porter & Sons
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Clear
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5 1/4
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marked "Porter Son" at base of globe
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Lovell
& Co.
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Clear
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5 1/4
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marked
"F.H.L. &
Co." at base of globe
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The green fresnal
globe pictured below was made by G.B. Co. Although it was found in a Dietz Deck lantern,
it was NOT originally used in these lanterns. The
measurements for this globe were recently confirmed to not fit
correctly in Deck and Dark lanterns. This
globe has also been seen in other various nautical lanterns
and will be dropped from this site in the future.
Green Fresnal
Globe
G.B. Co.

Click to
enlarge
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**Footnote
-
Information on blue and green globes from
- "The
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting Volume I - The
Railroad Lantern", Richard C. Barrett, ©1994 &
1998, page 293.

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