Aladdin Model 2 - The Transition
model Sold
from September 1910 through December 1910
#101 with 201 shade |
The Aladdin model 1 was
an off the shelf Plume & Atwood design that used parts already
designed, tooled up and recently started into production. The
only thing that differentiated The Mantle lamp company from
the other companies buying P&A centre draft mantle lamps
for resale was the marking on the wick raiser knob. The model
1 allowed a recent startup company to appear established
and much larger than it was. By the end of model 1
production Samuel Johnson had established a small research
department and enough capital for the company to start making
changes to the lamps manufactured by P&A for Aladdin.
Model 2 production illustrates the first changes made by
the company's new R&D group as they searched for a better,
more reliable and easier to use lamp design. Each idea
was rushed into production and tried out. At this writing
I own four model 2 table lamps, each different from the other in some way and only one of them
is exactly like the model 2 described in J.W. Courter's book.
Considering that the model 2 was only in official production
for 4 months I'm not sure that identical table lamps were
produced for more than a month before another change was
implemented. I suspect late model 2 lamps with the new model
3 gallery and generator were sold as model 3 lamps during
the model 3 selling season.
I like to think of the Aladdin model 2 as a transition
model that was in production while the R&D team was redesigning
the Aladdin model 1 into the Aladdin model 3. The large number of changes made from the P&A generic centre draft design sold by the Mantle Lamp Company through the model 3 makes the model 2 one of the most interesting models Aladdin ever made. |
Model 2 wick adjustment knobs have "Made
in USA" on
the reverse side . The reverse side marking is the quickest
way to tell a bare model 1 burner base from a bare model
2 burner base. |
Variations:
Table - (1 qt plain foot, 1 qt embossed font [rare])Finish:
polished brass or Nickel plated
Fount (Wall mount, hanging with shade, hanging without
shade) - Finish: polished brass or Nickel
plated
Parlor - Finish: Old English, polished
brass or Jap Bronze
Oil pot - Finish: polished brass
Accessories:
Bug screen: None
wick cleaner: None
Shade ring: Parlor - Industry generic 10 inch shade holder
with locking rectangular cross section and shade ring. Others
- Industry generic 10 inch shade holder with locking rectangular
cross section
Shades: TABLE - 201 (see above) HANGING - 203 (white
opal dome), PARLOR - 202 (green cased glass artichoke)
Chimney: Heelless globe type (rounded bulge near
base), crest logo near the top
Mantle: Cap mantle, very late production model
2 used the KoneKap mantle.
Early Aladdin Model 2 table lamps:
The early model 2 was basically a model 1 with a different generator
and air distributor. The new generator required a different
attachment to the inner wick tube and that the ring of air holes
around the gallery cone be eliminated. I'm unsure if the
new air distributor was required for air flow of simply a cost
reduction. The 1-1/2 quart table lamp style was not used
in the model 2 or later lamps.
Model 1 stock still in the factory were reworked to
model 2 specs. Very early model 2 lamps have inner wick tubes
that have both model 1 and model 2 generator seating grooves.
The early model 2 galleries have a brass ring inserted to the
underside of the gallery cone to block off the ring of holes. The
early model 2 air distributor was formed from a single brass
screen.
Mid-production Aladdin Model 2 table lamp changes:
Once the factory stock of model 1 galleries were used up model
2 production proceeded without the ring of holes around
the top of the gallery cone. Sometime during production
the air distributor screen was changed from a one piece design
to a two piece design.
Model 1 and early model 2 burners have a stop built into the
wick adjuster shaft to keep people from adjusting the wick too
far. Sometime during model 2 burner production they left
the stop off the burners.
Late production Aladdin Model 2 table lamp changes:
The table lamp bowl was modified through the use of new bowl tooling. Changes included the addition of stiffening
rays where the bowl attaches to the foot and a smooth raised collar with a threaded insert. These changes were carried into model 3 production. The diagnostic difference between late model 2 and model 3 table fonts is the threads for the burner and a wider chime. The model 1 and 2 burners share a fine thread. The model 3 burner uses a coarser thread which it shares with model 4, 5 and 6 burners.
Model 3 chime on left late model 2 chime on right
The last of the model 2 lamps were shipped with a model 3 gallery
and model 3 generator. These used the new KoneKap
mantles. There were almost certainly factory and dealer
stocks of late model 2 lamps at the introduction of model 3 lamps.
It is my guess that the unsold stock was sold as model
3 lamps along with real model 3 lamps until the stock was used
up.
A lot of changes for only officially being offered for 4 months.
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A disassembled early Aladdin model
2 burner. The burner base remained the same as the model 1
burner base including the wick raiser knob. The obvious changes
are the flame spreader and the air distributor.
Unique to the model 2 is that "MADE IN U.S.A." is
stamped on the back side of the wick adjuster knob. It is
the only knob that has writing on the back side. It is a quick diagnostic between a model 1 burner base and an early model 2 burner base. |
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Late Aladdin model 2 burner has a model 2 burner base that has a wick adjuster shaft without a stop, two piece air diffuser, model 3 flame spreader and the model 3 gallery for a Kone Kap mantle. |
Model 1 gallery without the blocking ring |
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The early model 2 galleries were model 1 galleries with a
metal ring attached to the underside of the centre open cone
top to block off the ring of little holes. The model 1 patent
marking was still stamped on the side of the early galleries. |
Mid production model 2 gallery was formed without the top circle of
holes. There is no patent marking on this gallery. This gallery
was also used on the early Beacon burner. |
Late model 2 lamps were fitted with the new Kone Kap gallery |
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The top flange on the early model 2 burner is wider than the
model 1 top flange. This top flange is the flame baffle for the centre draft lamps. The vapor zone tends to cling to the flange regulating the location of the flame. One problem with this kind of baffle is that if you lower the gallery down rapidly after lighting the lamp the flame has a tendency to go out.
As you can see this burner has a single
piece inverted cone screen air distributor. |
Here is a view showing the wick raiser shaft used on the
model 1 and early 2 burners. Later model 2 burners do not
have the screw stop. |
Late model 2 burner base showing the newer wick adjuster shaft and split screen air distributor |
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One piece early Model 2 air distributor. It was replace
by a 2 piece screen later in production. |
Side view of One piece early Model 2 air distributor. |
This is the 2 piece air distributor that came with the late
style model 2 burner used on the transition lamp. It is unique
in that the outer flange and end flanges are bent in opposite
directions. Later two part screen air distributors had all
the flanges bent in the same direction. This provided better
locking of the parts. |
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Late model 2 table font left, early model 2 font on right |
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Early and mid production (without #1 seat on inner wick tube) model 2 plain foot table font. The easy way to tell
this font from the model 3 through 6 fonts is that the lower
part of the bowl is smooth and without radial ribbing. |
Here is a comparison between the early & mid model 2 table lamp font with the late model 2 font made with the new tooling. Obvious changes include the addition of stiffening ribs and a collar that holds a thread insert.
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Late model 2 table fonts have a smooth neck and internal
threads as well as stiffening ribs at the base of the bowl. |
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This very early model 2 table font had rolled threads, the
same as model 1. An interesting item on this lamp is that the
inner wick tube has both the seat for the model 1 flame spreader
supports and the seat for the model 2 flame spreader. This could be called a model 1-2 transition
lamp. |
Late Aladdin model 2 lamp font has a raised collar with threaded insert so the threads are hidden. The model 3 table font has a coarser thread insert for the model 3 burner. |
The Aladdin model 2 lamp uses the same wick raiser as the model
1. The gear on the wick adjuster shaft pushed directly on the oval holes. |
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The shape of the model 2 generator is unique to the model
2 plus other brands of Plume and Atwood manufactured lamps of the same era. |
Aladdin model 3 generator found along with the model 3 gallery in very late model 2 lamps. This is the first flame spreader unique to Aladdin |
Aladdin model 1 through 6 used a filler cap with a flower
pattern on top. There were two varieties, vented, with a hole
in the centre top and unvented.
Models 1 through early 5 lamps with slotted burners used
the vented cap. Late model 5 and model 6 screen burners
used the non vented type. |
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The Aladdin model 2 font lamp is basically the same as the model 1 font lamp with a seating ring for the model 2 generator on the inner wick tube and the current Aladdin model 2 production burner assembly.
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Wall bracket used on model 1 through 4 lamps. Note the
ring is nonadjustable like the model 23 deluxe bracket.
The difference being the pattern stamped into the early ring. |
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Model 2 Parlor lamp
Bottom view
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Shade holder for model 1, 2 and possibly some early model
3 parlor lamps. Not used on regular table lamps. It
is basically a P&A generic rectangular cross section 3
arm shade holder (see below) with a shade ring soldered on.
Ring shade supports were used in model 1 through 4 parlor
lamps then bought back for model 23 table lamps that were
made in Hong Kong. The model 4 and presumably most
of model 3 parlor lamps used a different shade holder. |
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The shade holder used on
the model 2 Aladdin lamps were generic Plume & Atwood
shade holders of the time. The table lamps used the rectangular
cross section shade holder shown on the left. There are metal
sliders on each arm. The sliders are moved out, the shade
holder mounted to the base of the gallery and he sliders moved
back in to lock the shade holder into place. |
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The Aladdin model 2 hanging lamp could be ordered with or without the dome shade and shade ring.
The hanger for Aladdin models 2-4 used a different ring lock than the model 1 |
This shade ring was used on model 1-4 hanging lamps that
came with a shade. It just slides down the harp and
rests there.
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Note the large head shade securing screws. These
screws are unique to this style shade ring. If you are
missing one or more, the shade ring is tapped for a 10-24
screw size. |
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Smoke bell was used on all hanging
lamps from model 1 through 6.
NOTE: These have been reproduced in brass. The original Aladdin smoke bells are made from a non-magnetic nickel Iron alloy. |
Parts support:
Mantles: Cap mantle discontinued
sometime between 1922 and 1927
Wick/Carrier: Shared with model 1.
The mounted wick was last seen on a 1917 spare parts list. Available as unmounted wick until sometime
between 1920 and 1922
Gallery: The model 2 gallery on 1922 but not on 1927 parts lists
Generator: Unique to model 2 and some other P&A manufactured lamps.
This parts was discontinued between 1917 and 1920
Burner: The model 1 burner base can be used with model 2 parts, model 2 base with model 3 parts
but models 3 and later burner bases have a coarser thread and will not fit.
DATE NOTE: The estimated dates are based
upon an examination of price lists and parts list that I have
access to.
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