I only started collecting lamps in October this year (2021). The first lamp I purchased, on 11 October 2021, was a Wolf Flame Safety lamp 7RMBS from the UK. The 7RMBS was my first purchase because I received training on it at the South African Gold mines in 1989/90. Shortly thereafter, on 15 October, I purchased another Wolf 7RMBS from South Africa, and on 19 October 2021, I purchased an all brass Protector Type 6 lamp from the USA.
Then in November of 2021, I found two beautiful, rare and rather costly lamps in Australia which I couldn’t refuse. The lamps were a Davis 3BB Tall Boss Bifold Burner and a JH Naylor Marsault Bifold Burner. The purchase of these lamps drew attention on Facebook group pages, and shortly thereafter I connected with a collector in Australia who sold me eight more lamps (John Mills & Sons Guys Bonnet, All Aluminium Davis Surveyors, Protector Type SL, Elektrometal, Patterson A3, Russian, South African Hailwood & Ackroyd with Mirror, Ackroyd & Best High Candle Power lamp).
After that, I also purchased two more lamps from the Netherlands (Koehler 289-1A and a Protector Type GR6S), and in December I trailed sniping on eBay bidding and won another Patterson Type A3 lamp from the UK.
This brings my three-month-old lamp collection to a total of 15 lamps, excluding the South African Wolf 7RMBS, which I have not yet received and which I suspect may have gotten lost in the mail.
Collecting lamps started off as a once-off ‘try-out’ for me, but after discovering great camaraderie and a common interest through many other fellow lamp collectors and current and old mining professionals, the whole lamp-collecting thing developed a whole new meaning for me. Needless to say, I got addicted more to the camaraderie, while collecting rare and beautiful lamps now comes as a very nice bonus. So, after just three months, I must admit I’m in it for the long haul.
Introducing my lamp collection in the featured image and below, from left to right: John Mills & Sons Guys Bonnet, All Aluminium Davis Surveyors, Davis 3BB Tall Boss Bifold Burner, JH Naylor Marsault Bifold Burner, Protector Type 6, Protector Type SL, Elektrometal, Patterson Type A3, Russian, South African Hailwood & Ackroyd with Mirror (to conduct vertically dipped gas checks in sewers), Wolf 7RMBS, Ackroyd & Best High Candle Power lamp.
Then below, also showing the two lamps bought from the Netherlands.
