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Aladdin Model B Lamps Sold
From 1933 through 1955
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Cat.# 1221, first metal model B metal lamp. Also the only
true model B oil pot
Cat. # 106, first model B table lamp
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Initially the Model A burner was intended to be the American side draft burner and the model B was intend to be the side draft burner for the UK. The UK model B burner was manufactured in the US and exported to the UK to be placed on UK manfactured founts. Model B lamps were introduced in the UK in 1931. Americans found the model A burner difficult to re-wick and acceptance of the new burner was poor. So for the 1933 year the model B lamps became available in the US. A set of model A tooling was sent to the UK and the Model 14 "Super Aladdin" lamp was born.
The model B burner was used on a large variety of lamps between
1933 and 1955. The model B burners, like its predecessors were manufactured
by Plume & Atwood in their plant in Connecticut. They
were marked Chicago because that is where the Aladdin headquarters
was located. When the headquarters was moved to Nashville
in 1949 the label on the wick adjuster knob was changed to
read Nashville.
World war II saw the rationing of brass. Except for caboose
lamps, no metal lamps were made during 1943, 1944 and 1945.
The caboose fonts made during the war were of steel that was
galvanized then blackened. During this time Aladdin wick raisers, filler caps
and wick cleaners were steel as well. The burner remained
brass because the burner flow characteristics were carefully
designed to work with the thermal characteristics of brass.
There was a flood that devastated the Plume & Atwood
manufacturing plant in 1955. The flood destroyed
or washed away all the Aladdin tooling.
The last of the model B burner inventory was fitted to B-53
clear glass Lincoln drape table lamps and sold in 1955 until
the stock was depleted.
The model B burner is very highly respected. Considering
the decreasing demand for kerosene lighting, it is quite possible
that the model B burner would be in use today had the tooling
not been destroyed.
Chicago burner, 1933 - 1948
Nashville burner, 1949 - 1955
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Cat.# B-53 that last version of model B lamp to be offered
for sale
Model B N0. B-101
1935-1936
The version with the most colour combinations - 15
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Variations:
Table - metal and glass, each in several versions and finishes. Polished aluminum table, low boy and fount lamps were introduced in 1955, the year the tooling was destroyed.
Font - metal and glass, each in several versions and finishes.
Oil pot - One version, #1221, 5-1/2 dia. Sold in 1933 &
1934. Finish Satin brass or oxidized bronze.
Floor lamp -
Transition (very early lamps) - model A burners were fitted
to early colonial glass table lamps and to early oil pot lamps.
Accessories:
Insect screen: Late canister type with the downward pointing
fitting fingers with Chicago burner lamps, current screen top
insect screen with Nashville burners.
Wick cleaner: Several styles with both wide and narrow
skirts. Both printed and script logo. Curved bottom. Steel 1943
through 1945, otherwise brass.
Shade ring: Gallery mounted three arm shade ring. A 10
inch holder was available for the glass shade and a 14 inch holder
for the paper shades.
Shades: Table & font - glass 701, 702. Paper - several
versions of 14 inch paper shades.
Documents (Requires Adobe Acrobat
reader vers 5 or newer)
World War II brought
about the end to the golden age of Aladdin kerosene lamps. Up
until the United States as attacked Aladdin offered a large variety
of lamps and shades in several colours. The war made brass and
plating materials restricted materials. Except for steel founts
for caboose lamps Aladdin stopped making metal lamps. Glass
lamp styles were reduced to the clear B-53, new formula B-75 table
lamps and the 0153 new formula Alacite fount lamp. Lamps manufactured during WWII came with steel wick raisers, steel filler caps and steel wick cleaners. Many have picked up a little rust over the years and owners have tossed them instead of removing the rust. These parts are becoming rare.
Aladdin's
main efforts went into producing food handling equipment for the
military. After the war,
with most of rural America now electrified Aladdin shifted its
lighting emphasis towards electric lighting and the kerosene lighting
branch of the company slid into a long decline. As a side
note, Aladdin still listed their Paris, France sales office on
their documents during the war.
From 1943 dealer price list.
Brass
was also restricted during the Korean war and only glass lamps
were available during that time.
At the end:
In 1955 just before the flood destroyed or carried away the Aladdin tooling from the Plume and Atwood factory Aladdin was manufacturing:
Model B Burners and parts
Model 12 burners and parts (for model 7 through 12 lamps)
Model 6, 11 and B flame spreaders
Model 6, 11, 12 and Nu-Type wicks
The 1955 Aladdin catalogue and the 1955 Supplies and Extra parts price list both includes polished aluminum table and fount lamps. They do not show up in the 1954 lists. This indicates that there were aluminum model B lamps introduced in 1955 and that they are not just model C and newer.
Aladdin model B burner:
The model B burner can be thought of as a retooling
of the model A burner to make instillation of a wick easier.
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The wick raiser was a return
to the late model 12 wick raiser style only much taller and
with the straight rack gear affixed to a new offset location. The large coarse threads allowed the adjuster to move more freely with less slippage than earlier wick risers with smaller finer threads.
Note: Wick risers made from steel were produced during WWII. |
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The model B burner was designed to allow as much space as
possible to install a new wick. The section of outer wick tube
attached to the burner base was shortened for better access
to the wick and the raiser's mounting tabs. |
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Model B outer wick tube with
attached air distributor. |
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The model B wick adjuster gearing
has been strengthened. |
The model B lamp hanger was a tilt frame design that was sold with either a metal or glass fount and either a parchment shade or conical glass shade. This hanger was reintroduced for model 23 and MaxBrite fount lamps.
Aladdin catalog reproduction and factory frame build drawing courtesy of Bill Courter
1945 build drawing for the model B tilt frame lamp hanger. For a build drawing of the heat deflector (smoke bell) used with this hanger see the page on Aladdin smoke bells.
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Wakeman. All rights reserved.
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LLC
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Contents > Aladdin Model
B lamps 
