The Crank and the Imperial Crank are still on my short list of lanterns I want to acquire. The production by the Paulls is a big mystery. According to Hobson, Dietz attempted to buy the Wheeling plant, after the Dietz New York plant burned down, because he was impressed with their production of some 17,000 dozen lanterns in 1896-1897. The question is: Where are these lanterns now? Every Paull's hot blast you see today has the 1903 patent on the lid. Was Paull Junior still making the NC Cranks that his father made?
Nice unit Chris! I'd like to see a pic with the lift raised and also one of that tail end of the lift wire that is wrapping behind the left tube. I assume there are no patent dates on the cranks? BB