Posted by W. Miller
on December 18, 2007, 9:12 am, in reply to "Re: Dietz Ideal"
Hi George,
According to Richard Barrett's Book The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting, the "Ideal Car Inspector's Lamp" was introduced in 1916 as Woody states and was dropped from the line in 1944, he also states they were finished in black enamel into the 30's and after that in bright tin. Your filler cap suggests an early model like mine and the name "New York Central" may be a good clue to dating it as well since that railroad used different names at different times, you might inquire at the railroadiana.org Q&A board, all of my Ideal Inspectors lamps do have patent dates on them in the usual place for the Little Wizard but do not have a manufacturing date and as I understand it not all Dietz lanterns do, your patent dates are probably covered by paint. They take a Vesta globe, so I'm sure you can find a better globe than that one for it. I hope this helps some.
Regards,
Willis
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