Re: Rare, old, heritage style ornamental post top streetlight lantern.
This (or something very identical) is on Ebay at the moment. There are some other interesting lots available as well!
Further pictures don't seem to give much clue to its heritage (if indeed it has any). I might hazard a guess of 1960s as a start, however the base spigot assembly looks to be 1970s, looking at the grub screws to secure it to the post or pedestal (nb: the seller's listing confirms this as a GEC spigot adaptor).
Usually, brackets of a certain age would have chunky bolts to spanner up. Could it have been modified or rebuilt at some point. Either way, the combination of a possibly original 1960s lantern with the sort of spigot found on modern bracket arms, somehow seems wrong.
On the other hand, the main lantern casting which looks to be aluminium seems to have some age to it, along with the failing putty on the glazing. The glazing itself looks to be clear perspex. As it has gone "milky" and is crazed in places, could this be an indication that the lantern has done some service time?
Ignoring the post top spigot, perhaps this lantern was originally designed for wall bracket mounting, rather than post-top. It might be possible with a fixing point / cable entry being at the bottom, along with some form of ring support around the lantern itself. It might have originally had quite a fancy bracket, which would match the style of the lantern itself.
It is a pity that its innards are missing / removed. If it was SOX, presumably the gear would be mounted remote, as I wouldn't think you could squeeze much in the space available. Did it incorporate a similar arrangement with drop rods etc , like the Gamma 6?
We need to find answers for these questions. Mr Cornwell's pages haven't shed any light as yet!
Failing that, I'm sure there will be an archive photo winging its way, with the lantern in its natural habitat.
_________________ "I can't think what you want to go to London for, you won't find any better lampposts there..." L.S. Lowry. 1887-1976.
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