Miller Juno

91. Miller Juno Information by Fil Graff, Guild Secretary (fgraff@comcast.net)
    Posted: Dec. 13, 1998 @ 12:25.
    From: "The Leggos" (tuna@globetrotter.qc.ca) [Our system refused to accept this as a valid URL. Why???]
    I was referred to you by Dennis Hearn, in respect to information on the Juno Lamp. I must say I am quite impressed with the world of lamp collecting which I have encountered thus far. Alas, I saw no lamps such as I have and seem to be stymied in my search for their origins. I am hoping that you may be able to point me in the right direction so I may continue.
    The lamps are brass and are 10 inches from base to top, they have a 2 3/4 inch diameter circular wick and are inscribed "the Juno Lamp" U.S.A.
    Are there collectors of these lamps? Can they be considered valuable? Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated feel free to post this if you think it will help in my search.
    Thank you very much,
    Leroy Leggo, 11, rue Prevel Gaspe, Quebec Canada
    

• On Dec. 13, 1998 @ 12:33, Fil Graff, Guild Secretary (fgraff@comcast.net) wrote:
  Leroy: From the height dimension you gave, it sounds like you have a font and burner only (as for a hanging or bracket lamp.) A table lamp would be 12 to 14" high, with a definate stem and foot below the oilpot (font or fount). Juno was a prominent brand of Edw. Miller and Co., and the burner style was used in "The Tiny Juno", a night lamp (maybe 8" tall) right up to the big store lamp font, which from the wick diameter you likely have. The font et al was placed in a cast ring steel frame, with either a "tin" shade for commercial use, or a 14" diameter glass shade for more dignified atmospheres. The lamp took a 4" bottom diameter chimney.
  These old brutes have a terrible tendency to smoke, so I generally don't recommend use with original kerosene fuel today. The wicks are practically impossible to find anyway. New 4" Chimneys are available.
  If you scroll down to Question 77 on the Guild Q&A page, you'll see an image of a Bradley and Hubbard store lamp. That's pretty much what the Miller Juno looked like, and my recommendations for the Miller "Juno" would be the same...electrify it for use in a home!
  As to "collectors of these lamps", lots of people use them to decorate, but I don't know of any specific collectors of store lamps. As to value...I don't do appraisals here or anywhere, but if all you have are the fonts and burners, they would be valuable only to restorers who would use them to assemble complete lamps. Old frames turn up at auction ocassionally, but don't bring a lot of $$ (US OR Canadian!) The value in these artifacts is more as a decorator item, and then with a complete lamp. There are new hanging lamp frames available, and tin shades, so "complete" lamps can be made. Not strictly correct as original, but functional and decorative. I have a complete Juno store lamp in my shop; electrified, of course, that I use as a light over the desk. The BIG oil fonts are ideal for "touch" electrification...an internal circuitry that allows the lamp to be adjusted to 3 brightnesses by simply touching any metal part. Maybe not always useful, but a neat bit of "magic"!
  :: Fil Graff ::
  
  • On Dec. 13, 1998 @ 14:20, Dave Benson (dobenson@aol.com) wrote:
    I have several "Juno" lamps and as Fil said they go from nite lamps all the way to Store lamps, and as he said they were manufactired by Edward Miller Co. in Meriden, CT. The company incindently is still in business, now known as Miller Brass. They roll thin copper base metals such as brass and bronze along with Stainless Steel for the elctronics industry. They are considered one of the premier rerollers of today.
    
    • On Dec. 14, 1998 @ 22:24, stan walker (isuma@globalserve.net) wrote:
      Leroy, I can't add much to what Dave & Fil have already said. While a few of us love and prize the old mammoth store lamps, it seems that most collectors don't - probably because of their size - so buy them only if you love them. I try to rescue any good complete ones before they fall into the hands of the decorator crowd. I have about a dozen - two of which are Junos. Because they were used primarily in commercial establishments and were so large - very few have survived intact. I have a B&H that I burn that runs pretty well but they suck a lot of fuel and smell the room up unless you use real good lamp oil. As Fil said they are easily electrified without drilling any holes or harming the lamp if you want to use it on a daily basis in your home. Remember to save the flame spreader in a safe place. Some of the lamp reference books and catalog reprints have some pictures and some limited info on these lamps. Regards, Stan