ARCHIVED Questions and Answers
Veritas lamp
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Veritas lamp by Simon J Page
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
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On August 30, 1998 @ 21:30, Fil Graff, Guild Secretary
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 ::
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On September 02, 1998 @ 15:55, John in England
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.
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On September 08, 1998 @ 13:17, Anton
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