Rushlight Club Regional Meeting Report
Feb. 29th, 2020, Glen Ellyn, IL
Eighteen Rushlight members gathered at the home of Don and Donna Schoenly in Glen Ellyn, Illinois for the annual regional Club meeting. Chicago area members were joined this year by Chuck Leib from California and, Fred and Connie Bohl from mid-Michigan. After an excellent buffet lunch, the main event began; the show and tell session.
Chuck Leib and Donna Schoenly kicked off the session with a presentation on chimney heaters. These devices took advantage of the heat generated by kerosene lamps for a variety of household tasks. They were often used to heat a lady’s curling iron, warm a cup of tea or coffee, or heat a baby’s bottle. The advertising for Gleason’s Kerosene Crater even claimed to cook a steak in 13 minutes! Chuck and Donna demonstrated a variety of these ingenious devices as well as catalog pages and advertising ephemera.
Almost everyone at the meeting showed one or more lighting devices. Of note was a rare burning fluid lamp presented by Keith Letsche. This lamp had an 1850 patent Clayton & Baily self-generating gas burner. This burner has a spherical vaporizing chamber immediately under the main burner and an auxiliary heating burner. Burning fluid was drawn into the chamber by a wick and vaporized. Vaporization was done by the auxiliary burner, directly under the chamber. This burner could be extinguished by sliding a movable sleeve over the flame once the chamber was sufficiently heated.
Mel Zaloudek discussed some of the distinctive features of rare lanterns with a variety of examples. Of particular interest were an early Dietz lantern and a very rare, nickel plated bicycle lantern with double side jewels and an external ignition system.
Fred Bohl brought two early central draft side lights. Side lights hang on walls. One was a painted tin argand lamp possibly manufactured by William Carleton of Boston in the 1840’s. The other was a signed 1843 patent Cornelius tin solar lamp. Both lamps were restored to working condition by Rushight member Brian Chappell.
Many other lighting devices were shown by those at the meeting. The group admired a decorated tin hogscraper candle stick and a Shaffer two-cone kerosene burner with a very rare original chimney. However, after nearly three hours of Show and Tell the group tired and found the sunny and warm Chicago afternoon irresistible.
Everyone enjoyed the day. Thanks to all who attended and to Don and Donna Schoenly for hosting the meeting.
The Rushlight Club Inc. www.rushlight.org