Veritas lamp

37. Veritas lamp by Simon J Page (a2603172@infotrade.co.uk)
    Posted: August 30, 1998 @ 12:13.
    Sir - my father has an old Veritas parafin lamp in excellent condition which he thinks is from the mid 19th century. He wants to know more about it, eg how many were made, who for, possible value, etc. Your website previously contained references to "Veritas" (which was how I found it!) but these references seem to have gone now. The references also suggested that Veritas was a trademark or model-name possible manufactured by Stadelman (in Germany) or similar (which is what I hoping to check the spelling of and search for next!). Can anyone point me in the right direction? I have a JPG picture of it which I could zip and send if it helped... Simon J Page LONDON
    

• On August 30, 1998 @ 21:30, Fil Graff, Guild Secretary (fgraff@comcast.net) wrote:
  Simon: Vertias House (Falk, Stadelmann) was a London lamp house for many, many years! They sold lamps made largely by other firms (lots of German products), generally rebranded with their brand. "Falks" acquired Hinks, Messinger and most of the prominant UK lamp makers in the 20's and 30's. They also were manufacturers in their own right. They sold out to Valor Heating in the 50's, and all that remains now I think is the former Mantle Division which is HQ'd as a separate company in Malta.
  I'm going to leave this posted, and hope that John Claypole or one of the UK Guild Members can respond. I only have 1 Falks catalogue...there are copies as early as 1898 in collections in the UK. By the way, I'd doubt "Mid-19th century"...1890s onward is more likely for the use of "Veritas" as a brand. But one of your countrymen can likely be more help.
  John? Nigel? Mike? HELP!!! :: Fil ::
  
  • On September 02, 1998 @ 15:55, John in England (lightinter@aol.com) wrote:
    Fil's reply to this enquiry is accurate - Veritas made mantles, lamp parts, gas lamps - the 1880's onward is the likely make - they made millions of lamps of all kinds, most of the circular wick lamps had renewable parts, hence a high survival rate. The 1976 facsimile reprint of the Veritas 1933 catalogue is available for £15 plus £1 postage from "Light International" magazine, 4 High Ridge, MATLOCK, Derbyshire DE4-3HP. John Claypole - Editor.
    
    • On September 08, 1998 @ 13:17, Anton (wilant@gironet.nl) wrote:
      Hallo Simon, I would like to react on your question about the Veritas paraffin lamp of August 30th. It was me who react some weeks ago on question Nr.4 (from Fred Smith) and gave some information about the UK company Falk,Stadelmann & Co. I am a collector of oillamps,paraffine-oillamps and carbide lamps and also of all the information I can get about these lamps.Patents and Trade Marks are a very good source of information and I do have a large amount of UK patents,German patents and German Trade Marks in my collection. I have in my lamp collection one Veritas lamp, bought in Wales(UK) some years ago.On the bottom part of the burner of this lamp is to read (in English): "Manufactured in Germany by the Veritas Lamp Works". Jean Stadelmann from Nurnberg,Germany was the owner of several German Trade Marks where under: Veritas (TM Nr.6317-AD1895);Wizard (1895);Ariel (1895 and 1909);Calesco (1905);Lucisca (1907);Efesca (1909) and Trilux (1909) all of these TM's are well known in the UK! His business name was J.Stadelmann & Co with the following address:Germany,Nurnberg,Untere Turnstrasse. In 1924 the name of his business was changed into: Geppert & Stadelmann.They where the owners of the German TM's: Veritas (well known);Candesco (1925) and Famos (1925) and also these TM's are well known in the UK. He also produced and exported mantles for gaslamps (1904) and non pressure paraffin lamps under the name : VERITAS. In the German TM's are shown several example's of boxes for mantle's (all made by the same "Veritas Lamp Works" in Germany) but completely written in English. The first information (I have) about Salomon Falk is a patent granted to him in 1883, and is on the subject: "A combination of a chimney and globe for gaslamps".He lived in that time in Londen,Basinghall Street.In 1890 his address was: Farringdon Road 83-87. According to a patent of 1892 his business name was changed into: Falk,Stadelmann & Co. on the next address: Farringdon Road 83-85 in Londen (and they are the owners (in the UK) of the TM's mentioned above and makers of the lamps with the same name). About the Veritas burner: To lower and higher the flame of the lamp you have to turn a button.Inside the burner this button is connected with 2 crown wheels and a vertical thread shaft. By turning the button,the shaft will be turning too.A nut and a clip are connected with the wick etc. This is made to a patent, granted in Germany in 1886 (Nr.40045) to an other German company from Berlin (named Schwintzer & Graff),and is of German origine.(I think J.Stadelmann had bought that patent to use it in his own lamp,but I am not sure about that). This all together give me the very strong feeling that the German "Jean Stadelmann" from Nurnberg is the very same "Stadelmann" as in "Falk,Stadelmann & Co." and with this it shows the strong trade connection between Germany and the UK. It also shows the great German influence in the developping of the Veritas lamp which was (according "C.A.Meadows booklet "Dicovering Oil Lamps" page 40 (Shire Publications Ltd)).."the most Popular of the Victorian central draught Lamps". I hope this information is of any help. regards Anton Kaim,Rotterdam,Holland,E-mail address: wilant@gironet.nl