From the Andy Jones Collection
Pristine and never lit: the Protector MC40
This MC40 has never been lit. It’s about as close to new as these lamps get.
Protector designed and patented the MC40 in 1939 for Manchester Collieries, and production started in 1940. It was offered with iron or stainless-steel tops.
The lamp has a flat-wick oil burner and high-tension spark ignition. The vessel and cage are built as one unit, and an internal magnetic lock sits inside the top rim of the cage.
That lock had a weakness: soot built up in it. Many were taken out later, so a lamp with its lock still in place is worth a second look.
Gallery
Lamp record
| Maker | Protector Lamp & Lighting Co., Eccles, Manchester |
|---|---|
| Model | MC40, patented 1939, made from 1940 |
| Burner | Flat-wick oil burner, high-tension spark ignition |
| Lock | Internal magnetic lock in the top rim of the cage (often removed) |
| Condition | Unused |
Credit. Lamp and photos: Andy Jones.
