Need some help with identification of this object.

[mk76]

Hi, I don't know what this could be I tried many guesses but none of which seems to be correct. Maybe you could help me a bit with the purpose of this object. It appears to have no markings whatsoever and is made of brass I guess.

So far what I figured out is that this is a burner/torch/lamp of some kind. Looking at the back (photo with my thumb) we can see two valves to regulate air/fuel intake (left/right) I reckon, and a top opening to put the fuel in and a handle to hold it, maybe on the height of your eyes, that's why the piece of glass is there.

In the other photo what you can see is a big round cover that unscrews, you can find some gunk there as if some burnt remains of something. The top portion is a kind of a grill divided in half by the latch of some kind, the latch can be lifted up freely, there is no locking mechanism of any sort.

So whatever it is, clearly, the glass opening and the big plate was to protect the person who was looking at the flame, or through the flame?, maybe.

I'd appreciate any help guys.

 

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[Red-Coat]

Just tidying up some blasts from the past (including some very ancient ones), largely for the benefit of anyone searching the site for information.

Yes, it is a carbide lamp burner, missing its reflector. Similar to these, both from Glasgow companies:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/26373049_telford-grier-and-mackay-and-co-glasgow-early-brass

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/39516748...55-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050

Both of these companies manufactured specialist lamps for nautical use. They date from the late 1800s through to the early 1900s. Burners like this produced a very bright light and would have sat inside the lamp housing with coloured glass filters to designate port and starboard, or as white lights on the masthead, to give navigational visibility to other vessels.

 

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[Retired Sarge]

Bump, I'm looking but no luck yet.

 

[creskol]

post a pic of the top and bottom.

 

[mk76]

post a pic of the top and bottom.

I don't have them ATM, I'll try to take some more photos and upload next time I visit my friend.

 

[vpnavy]

Dang - can't wait for someone to actually ID this puppy!

 

[ARC]

Carbide viewer.

 

[DCMatt]

Carbide viewer.

AKA Magic Lantern. It is the burner from a turn of the 20th C slide projector.

 

[mk76]

Carbide viewer.

That makes some sense, the gunk thats inside might be carbide leftovers - front load - big opening for chunks of it. But what was it used for?

 

[mk76]

AKA Magic Lantern. It is the burner from a turn of the 20th C slide projector.

Definitely not the magic lantern I am sure of that, magic lanterns are built differently, they also have lenses. If you'd put a photo/negative here it'd get destroyed very quickly.

 

[Older The Better]

No expert by any means on hot water heaters but they have a similar setup around the pilot light, fuel, burner, little piece of glass to see if it is lit, curved shape.

 

[DCMatt]

Definitely not the magic lantern I am sure of that, magic lanterns are built differently, they also have lenses. If you'd put a photo/negative here it'd get destroyed very quickly.

OK, then possibly an egg candler.

 

[mk76]

OK, then possibly an egg candler.

Heheh, that'd boil an egg way before checking the contents. I am reconsidering the idea of a magic lantern part, maybe the part at the back was to slide the mirror in and the latch to divide the flame in two as some Mirroscopes had two lamp setup. I'll keep looking, thanks for the ideas!

 

[Tpmetal]

i feel like i have seen a ship morse code signal device similar to this before. BUt as i type this it doesn't feel right

 

[Rum Tide]

Camera Mold?

I keep seeing an old mold for a film camera. Is the bottom open?

 

[Rum Tide]

 

[mk76]

I keep seeing an old mold for a film camera. Is the bottom open?

That surely is not a mold. It is a burner/lamp of some kind as the insides are not empty and dials/valves operational. I'll try to upload some more photos later this week. Thanks for your input, though.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

antique egg candler?

 

[A2coins]

Im guessing some kind of ancient camera or viewer of some sort

 

[Bruce R]

I’m kinda leaning toward a delivery hatch for in a door, you could peek out to see who’s delivering what.