I wonder if anyone has managed to save something like these?

Very interesting looking lanterns, and I never knew about this variant until today. I had read before about ESLAs burning MA, but never ones with double reflectors and the like - some very interesting early ideas about light distribution, and combining three and two way reflectors to provide some sort of directional light control. Would love to add one of these to the collection, and maybe even a Philora lamp!

I wonder how well the lamp would of held up in cold weather.

Some years ago Bob Cockson talked about fabricating one of these out of two standard ESLA A-group and a B-group lanterns, but as far as I know he didn't go ahead with the project.

Interesting looking lantern. Any idea when it dates from?

Strangely, I seem to think I have seen some of these somewhere, or something similar to them, in an open-air type museum. Possibly somewhere like Beamish, but if I go anywhere and there is any kind of steam or transport museum then I usually try to look around it, so it could have been anywhere.

Around 1937.

Thought it looked like something from that period. It would be nice to think some had survived.

I like to go to salvage yards and archetectural antique places and have seen lamp-posts, swan neck tops and other such items in them in the past. I will especially keep a lookout for old lamps now I know there are speciallised lamp collectors around, besides I would like one of these type of lamps- as a centre light in my living-room!

I thought ESLAs were only available in plain vanilla GLS? If there are any MBF ESLAs left I wouldn't mind seeing what one looks like in full technicolour.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

Don't forget that ESLA is the name of the company. It's common for collectors to talk about "ESLAs" when referring to the "Bi-Multi" range of lanterns, but ESLA made more than just those. There's also the "Multi-Pane" and this medium-pressure mercury or low-pressure sodium lantern:



For more information about the Electrical Street Lighting Apparatus company then take a look at my website here.

I have more information about the company to put online as I'm gradually working my way through some old APLE Conference Programmes.

All the best,
Simon

Hi Simon,

Your website is a fantastic resource, many happy hours spent researching all manner of rare and unusual lanterns. First port of call for me when trying to identify something unknown.

Very interesting information there on alternative fittings from ESLA.  Once again I wonder how many of those were purchased in period, and how many if any survive? Quite unusual lantern with what looks like a solid base and refractor panels so high up. Would love to see one in the metal, burning mercury of course!

was walking through town the other day, when I find this! It may not run mercury, but it's still in nightly service.

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Take my dog's fleas.
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