Lamp 1 - This lamp's arc tube carries the characteristic brown tinge that these lamps acquired after many hours' use.

Lamp 1 - A hand-written date on a paper ribbon wrapped around the circumference of the brass cap suggests that the lamp was fitted in a lantern on Friday, 24th December 1965 - just in time for Christmas!

Lamp 2 - The second of these two lamps is identical to the first, except that an address is hand-written on this lamp:

Lamp 2 - The writing appears to be "3 Plowright Way" (perhaps the column nearest this property was where the lamp was installed, or it could be the third column installed along the road); there is a 'Plowright' Way in Sheffield, and this could have been the location...

Column 3 on Plowright Way - its concrete construction does not rule out the possibility that this is where the lamp was once fitted.

Lamp 2 - The date code provided is 'VM' on both lamps, which suggests December 1964 as a date of manufacture. (Shaw, Oldham; England)

Lamp 2 was brought out of retirement in April 2017; it being fitted in my Revo Sol-d'Or lantern at the time. Astoundingly, this then-52-year-old lamp struck and ran without any problems at all - a testament to the exceptional build quality and engineering for which the Shaw factory was renowned. Images of the lamp operating can be seen by clicking here.

Photographs and information regarding a similar, but newer version of this lamp can be viewed on James Hooker's site.