Style sold in 1932 and 1933

Style sold in 1933

The Aladdin model A represents the first Aladdin glass table lamp and the first side draft burner sold under the Aladdin name.  Though the lamp was in production for a little less than 2 years there are a few variations in the glass base as Aladdin experimented with how to best attach the stem to the lamp bowl.

While the burner reused the model 12 gallery and flame spreader, the burner base was completely new.  Once in production, customer complaints came back about how difficult it was to install the wick.

As a result of customer complaints the burner base was redesigned  to make re-wicking it easier and the model B burner was born.  The model A burner tooling was shipped to the UK where it was reworked to become the model 14 "Super Aladdin" burner.

Burner:

The model A burner is the first side drought burner used on Aladdin brand lamps. The advent of the side drought burner allowed Aladdin to manufacture glass lamps and ushers in a world of fancifully brightly coloured lamps.  The 1933 "Colonial" amber crystal lamp (#106) used a bronze plated model A burner. All other model A lamps took a nickel plated burner.

The side drought burner burned brighter than centre draft burners and the mantel would come up to temperature quicker making it an "instant light lamp". This spelled the doom of the Aladdin centre drought lamp when the model 12 was discontinued.

Documents (pdf):

• Aladdin Model A instruction booklet 
   
• 1932 Supplies and Extra parts
    
• 1932 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side A
   
• 1932 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side B
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, Cover
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side 2
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side 3
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side 4
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side 5
   
• 1933 Wholesale price list of Aladdin Lamp supplies, side 6
   

Note: The instructions say to put salt over a sooty mantle to help burn off the soot.   Be advised that the salt causes deep pitting green oxidation of the gallery and burner.   I advise against doing this.

The model A burner gearing brought the rack gear for the wick riser inside the outer wick tube for the first time.

The model A burner was unsuccessful because the sheet metal encasing the adjuster gear has sharp edges that tends to hang up the wick making it difficult to install a wick.

The model A wick adjuster was the first to be inserted into the burner from the top. It was mounted to the wick and the two tails of the wick were pushed down between the inner and outer wick tubes of the model A burner. Unfortunately the side with the gearing tended to get hung up on the gearing cover.

This wick adjuster was also used on the model 14 burner.

Late model A outer wick tube

All lamps were made of clear glass, painted then fired.   They are available in clear glass, white satin finish, green, peach and old rose. Though this style was in production for slightly less than 2 years, multiple molds were used for the glass lamp base as Aladdin experimented with the best way to attach the foot to the lamp bowl.

All fillers and burners were nickel plated.

Caution:  The paint fired onto the lamp can be easily scratched so use care in cleaning.  Also do not subject lamps with feet fused onto the bowl with sudden temperature changes.  They have been known to crack at the connection. When washing always use water close in temperature to that of the lamp.

Though people tend to think of this lamp as the first model B lamp  it is listed in the May1, 1933 Aladdin Dealer's price list as a model A lamp.  This lamp received the first model B burners when that burner was introduced so it can be considered as both a Model A lamp and as the first glass Model B lamp. Both burners are equally correct on this lamp base.

This lamp was Aladdin's first use of coloured glass. Catalogue # 104 was clear glass, #105 was green glass  and #106 was amber glass.  All model A lamps except for #106 used nickel plated burners.  # 106 used a bronze plated burner.