TeriAnn's Guide to Aladdin and other brands of kerosene Mantle Lamps

 

Contents  >  Aladdin Model B lamps

 
 
 

 

Aladdin Model B Lamps Sold From 1933 through 1955

Aladdin model B oil pot
Cat.# 1221, first metal model B metal lamp. Also the only true model B oil pot

 

Aladdin model B colonial

Cat. # 106, first model B table lamp

 

 

Initially the Model A burner was intended to be the American side draft burner and the model B was intend to be the side draft burner for the UK. The UK model B burner was manufactured in the US and exported to the UK to be placed on UK manfactured founts. Model B lamps were introduced in the UK in 1931. Americans found the model A burner difficult to re-wick and acceptance of the new burner was poor. So for the 1933 year the model B lamps became available in the US. A set of model A tooling was sent to the UK and the Model 14 "Super Aladdin" lamp was born.

Aladdin UK model B

 

The model B burner was used on a large variety of lamps between 1933 and 1955. The model B burners, like its predecessors were manufactured by Plume & Atwood in their plant in Connecticut. They were marked Chicago because that is where the Aladdin headquarters was located. When the headquarters was moved to Nashville in 1949 the label on the wick adjuster knob was changed to read Nashville.

World war II saw the rationing of brass. Except for caboose lamps, no metal lamps were made during 1943, 1944 and 1945. The caboose fonts made during the war were of steel that was galvanized then blackened. During this time Aladdin wick raisers, filler caps and wick cleaners were steel as well. The burner remained brass because the burner flow characteristics were carefully designed to work with the thermal characteristics of brass.

There was a flood that devastated the Plume & Atwood manufacturing plant in 1955. The flood destroyed or washed away all the Aladdin tooling.

The last of the model B burner inventory was fitted to B-53 clear glass Lincoln drape table lamps and sold in 1955 until the stock was depleted.

The model B burner is very highly respected. Considering the decreasing demand for kerosene lighting, it is quite possible that the model B burner would be in use today had the tooling not been destroyed.

 

Aladdin model B adjuster
Chicago burner, 1933 - 1948

Aladdin model B wich adjuster knob
Nashville burner, 1949 - 1955

 

Aladdin model B  glass lamp

Cat.# B-53 that last version of model B lamp to be offered for sale

 

 

 

Aladdin model B table lamp
Model B N0. B-101
1935-1936
The version with the most colour combinations - 15

Variations:

Table - metal and glass, each in several versions and finishes. Polished aluminum table, low boy and fount lamps were introduced in 1955, the year the tooling was destroyed.
Font - metal and glass, each in several versions and finishes.
Oil pot - One version, #1221, 5-1/2 dia. Sold in 1933 & 1934. Finish Satin brass or oxidized bronze.
Floor lamp -
Transition (very early lamps) - model A burners were fitted to early colonial glass table lamps and to early oil pot lamps.

Accessories:

Insect screen: Late canister type with the downward pointing fitting fingers with Chicago burner lamps, current screen top insect screen with Nashville burners.
Wick cleaner: Several styles with both wide and narrow skirts. Both printed and script logo. Curved bottom. Steel 1943 through 1945, otherwise brass.
Shade ring: Gallery mounted three arm shade ring. A 10 inch holder was available for the glass shade and a 14 inch holder for the paper shades.
Shades: Table & font - glass 701, 702. Paper - several versions of 14 inch paper shades.

Documents (Requires Adobe Acrobat reader vers 5 or newer)

 

1947 Aladdin Lamp Catalog

1934 Aladdin lamp catalog

 

1935 Aladdin lamp catalog

 

1940 Aladdin lamp catalog

 

World War II brought about the end to the golden age of Aladdin kerosene lamps.  Up until the United States as attacked Aladdin offered a large variety of lamps and shades in several colours. The war made brass and plating materials restricted materials. Except for steel founts for caboose lamps Aladdin stopped making metal lamps.  Glass lamp styles were reduced to the clear B-53, new formula B-75 table lamps and the 0153 new formula Alacite fount lamp.  Lamps manufactured during WWII came with steel wick raisers, steel filler caps and steel wick cleaners.  Many have picked up a little rust over the years and owners have tossed them instead of removing the rust.  These parts are becoming rare.

Aladdin's main efforts went into producing food handling equipment for the military.  After the war, with most of rural America now electrified Aladdin shifted its lighting emphasis towards electric lighting and the kerosene lighting branch of the company slid into a long decline.  As a side note, Aladdin still listed their Paris, France sales office on their documents during the war.

Aladdim material usage during WWII
From 1943 dealer price list.
Brass was also restricted during the Korean war and only glass lamps were available during that time.

 

At the end:

In 1955 just before the flood destroyed or carried away the Aladdin tooling from the Plume and Atwood factory Aladdin was manufacturing:

Model B Burners and parts
Model 12 burners and parts (for model 7 through 12 lamps)
Model 6, 11 and B flame spreaders
Model 6, 11, 12 and Nu-Type wicks

The 1955 Aladdin catalogue and the 1955 Supplies and Extra parts price list both includes polished aluminum table and fount lamps. They do not show up in the 1954 lists. This indicates that there were aluminum model B lamps introduced in 1955 and that they are not just model C and newer.

 

Aladdin model B burner:

Aladdin model B burner appart

The model B burner can be thought of as a retooling of the model A burner to make instillation of a wick easier.

Aladdin model B wick raiser

The wick raiser was a return to the late model 12 wick raiser style only much taller and with the straight rack gear affixed to a new offset location. The large coarse threads allowed the adjuster to move more freely with less slippage than earlier wick risers with smaller finer threads.

Note: Wick risers made from steel were produced during WWII.

 

Aladdim Model B burner base

The model B burner was designed to allow as much space as possible to install a new wick. The section of outer wick tube attached to the burner base was shortened for better access to the wick and the raiser's mounting tabs.

Aladdin model B burner base bottom view
Aladdin Model B outer wick tube

Model B outer wick tube with attached air distributor.

Aladdin model B air deflector
Aladdin model B wick gearing

The model B wick adjuster gearing has been strengthened.

The model B lamp hanger was a tilt frame design that was sold with either a metal or glass fount and either a parchment shade or conical glass shade. This hanger was reintroduced for model 23 and MaxBrite fount lamps.

Aladdin model B hanging lamps


Aladdin catalog reproduction and factory frame build drawing courtesy of Bill Courter

Aladdin model B hanging frame build drawing
1945 build drawing for the model B tilt frame lamp hanger. For a build drawing of the heat deflector (smoke bell) used with this hanger see the page on Aladdin smoke bells.

 

 

 

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