Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Vintage battery tubular light

In Tools and Hardware > Flashlights > Show & Tell and Military and Wartime > World War One > Show & Tell.
Tilted's loves165 of 406Table made in Mexico Mexican Coconut Geode From The Geode Shop 65 Million Years Old
15
Love it
0
Like it

LcallowayLcalloway loves this.
Drake47Drake47 loves this.
rgrebovrgrebov loves this.
ReiseReise loves this.
dav2no1dav2no1 loves this.
Merrill33Merrill33 loves this.
TiltedTilted loves this.
vcalvcal loves this.
kev123kev123 loves this.
collectorpaulcollectorpaul loves this.
BHIFOSBHIFOS loves this.
NewfldNewfld loves this.
kwqdkwqd loves this.
Vynil33rpmVynil33rpm loves this.
fortapachefortapache loves this.
See 13 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 14 days ago

    Lcalloway
    (1 item)

    Shapleigh Hardware Co. Norleigh Diamond light. Says Pat. Appl’d For. Early 1900’s ? Possibly used by the military.

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Flashlights
    See all
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 5251 2 Cell Commander Flashlight Light, NOS
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 525...
    $7
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 5251 2 Cell Commander - NOS but SEE DESCRIPTION
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 525...
    $5
    Antique Eveready Art Deco Masterlite Tabletop Flashlight, Untested
    Antique Eveready Art Deco Masterlit...
    $39
    Vintage Old Hand Flashlight Dynamo bakelite Working 1940s
    Vintage Old Hand Flashlight Dynamo ...
    $55
    logo
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 5251 2 Cell Commander Flashlight Light, NOS
    Vintage Eveready Flashlight No. 525...
    $7
    See all

    Comments

    1. keramikos, 12 days ago
      Lcalloway, Cool. :-)

      Insofar as I can tell, if the name on the item is "Shapleigh Hardware Co.," then the oldest it can be is 1918:

      http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf

      http://www.thckk.org/Newsletters/THCKKChronicles134.pdf

      https://unseenstlouis.substack.com/p/not-just-another-abandoned-warehouse
    2. keramikos, 10 days ago
      I did some more noodling around the Net.

      There's a Facebook group dedicated to tubular lanterns, and mention is made of a "Ham patent" on a Norleigh Diamond lantern:

      *snip*

      Ham made, the double walled vented baffle is a Ham patent. Love the wooden bail grip on these Norleigh Diamond jobbers.

      *snip*

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/152180158150792/posts/8674102452625144/

      *snip*

      In rehabbing my last Ham lantern found the patent dates ...
      Just got this today, Norleigh Diamond -Shapleigh Hardware. She is in the tank. 3 layers of paint , black, white, then red.

      *snip*

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/152180158150792/posts/8665686976800025/

      Unfortunately, seeing more requires a login, which I don't have.

      Here's a 1913 piece from the Hardware Reporter about the Norvelle-Shapleigh Hardware Company (this was before the name change):

      https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Gimlet/Norvell-Shapleigh-1913.pdf

      The flashlight was still a relatively new concept even in 1918 (when the company name change to Shapleigh Hardware Co. happened):

      https://ledlenser.com/en/advisor/invention-of-the-flashlight/

      https://www.thoughtco.com/invention-of-the-flashlight-1991794

      Here's David Misell's 1899 patent for the flashlight, which seems quite recognizable (well, until you expand it):

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US617592A/en

      There are some Norleigh Diamond flashlights in the 1913 Gimlet catalog:

      https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Gimlet/Gimlet-Nov-1913s.pdf

      Here's an outfit that has multiple editions of Norvell-Shapleigh and Shapleigh Hardware Company catalogs:

      https://www.orcaonline.org/product-category/orca-library/s-letter/shapleigh/

      Unfortunately, it requires a login to look at them.

      Anyway, those handles on your vintage flashlight make me wonder. Misell was originally trying to create a portable light for a bicycle. Could that be the purpose of the handles?

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.