The Evolution of an O&W Dietz Lantern

by George S. Shammas

     For me, it is truly a rewarding pleasure to find an O&W item after much relentless searching. After all, as a retired individual, I spend much time looking for more O&W memorabilia to add to my ever growing collection. I must say, however, that my searches take me to many places, both physically and in cyber space. Usually, I come away empty handed, but once in a while luck is on your side, and you find that item that really compliments the collection. Like I always say, an education can be learned through a collection, and this story, focusing on the various models of O&W Dietz lanterns, attests to that. 

     After a recent trip to northern New York State, I came across an O&W Dietz bell bottomed lantern. In my opinion, these bell bottomed lanterns had a nicer look than the other makes and models that were used by the O&W. Fortunately, I was able to acquire it, and was ecstatic about adding it to the collection. Upon close examination, I immediately realized that it was not like my other Dietz bell bottomed lanterns. Yes, the frame, smoke cap, font and burner were all alike, but this one had different letters, and was missing the No. 6 designation that identified it as the model it would become. You see, these lanterns were known as the Dietz 6 models, but it appears that there were predecessor models, and certain modifications would take place. 

In the late 1800’s, there were many lantern companies. Names like C.T. Ham, Dressel, Adams & Westlake, Steam Gauge, Star Headlight and Defiance were producing lanterns for various uses. Many of these companies were located in New York State, specifically in the Rochester and Syracuse areas. The Buffalo Steam Gauge and Lantern Company of Buffalo, NY was moved to Rochester in 1876, and, in 1881, the word Buffalo was removed from the company name. In 1888 a disastrous fire took place in the factory, and the company was relocated to Syracuse, NY. They produced tubular varieties of street, marine & globe lamps, as well as farmers, railroad, and ship lanterns. The O&W did purchase lanterns from Steam Gauge, and the lantern had large, nicely cut NYO&W Ry. letters in the brim. The fuel pot and bell were one piece, and were removed by a short twist of the bayonet mount. This mount had a one piece clip and band soldered to the bell. The clip would securely snap over a pin on the other half of the lantern frame to hold it in place. A pin on the other side would also fit into a slot on the bell. One of the down sides of this model is that the bell and fuel pot combination would have to be removed, or the globe removed to adjust the wick, as the wick turner was inside the globe, and did not protrude the lantern frame. It incorporated the use of a 5 & 3/8 inch globe. 

     The R.E. Dietz Company of Syracuse, NY took over the Steam Gauge Company in 1897. You can see this when you see the next example in the evolution of this particular model. In a fellow collector’s collection, is an O&W lantern that is identical to the Steam Gauge lantern, however, the lettering on the smoke cap that once said Steam Gauge were replaced with the R.E. Dietz Company. This lettering is identical, as is the railroad’s lettering on the brim. The frame was also identical, except Dietz went to the use of a 6 inch globe and a Sangster drop out fuel pot. This pot incorporated the use of two spring loaded tabs that were found under the bell. Once squeezed together, only the pot would drop out of the frame, in order to add fuel, light, or adjust the flame. This model also had the beehive top as did the Steam Gauge model, but had only two rings compared to the three on the former. 

     The next model appears to be the one that I just acquired, in that it is identical to the R.E. Dietz model, but now says Dietz - New York, U.S.A. on the smoke cap. It also has the same large NYO&W Ry. letters on the brim, as well as the same frame and fuel pot configuration. The following model, in a another collection, is identical to mine, except the letters No. 6 were added to the center of the smoke cap, thus identifying it as the first Dietz No. 6 model. The transformation from the Steam Gauge look to the final Dietz look was now taking place. 

     The next change in the No. 6 model came when Dietz changed the style of letters used for the railroad. In this model, Dietz did away with style of the Steam Gauge lettering, and used a smaller and less ornate letter type. These letters were sometimes located between the bail handles, or to the side, perpendicular to one of the bail handles. The use of the abbreviation for the word “railway” (Ry.) was dropped, and replaced with RR, now designating the O&W as a “railroad“. This would become the most popular Dietz bell bottomed model to be used by the O&W. 

     The next, and maybe final variety of the model reveals a significant change in the designation of the fuel pot. This model resembles the former model, however this model now incorporated the use of a “drop in” fuel pot with a wick turner that now protruded through the frame, thus making it easier to adjust the flame without removing the pot or globe. On this model, the fuel pot dropped into the frame by lifting the smoke cap and brim, and removing the globe, much like the models of the rival Adams & Westlake Company. This last model is known to exist with or without the RR letters. The “No. 6” was now relocated to the edge of the smoke cap, and in smaller letters. The word Dietz was now placed in an oval, and appeared in the center of the smoke cap where the No. 6 once was. This application of the Dietz name became the company’s logo, and would appear on their shipping boxes and stationary. 

     The O&W did use Adams & Westlake bell bottomed lanterns as well, and it appears that they were used simultaneously with the Dietz lanterns. Many varieties of the Adams & Westlake bell bottomed lanterns also exist with the O&W name, however these lanterns, unlike the Dietz counterparts, did have patent dates on them, ranging from 1895 to 1913. Most collectors will attest that the majority of Dietz bell bottomed lanterns were found in the northern area of New York State, whereas the Adams & Westlake models were found closer to Middletown. Does this suggest that the Dietz lanterns were used on the Northern Division, and The Adams lanterns used on the Southern Division? It may be true. It may also be true that the Adams lanterns were purchased after possibly discontinuing the purchase of the Dietz lantern, and all of these older lanterns were sent to the Northern Division, and the newer Adams lanterns used on the Southern Division, closer to the headquarters and upper management of the railroad.  In the next Mountaineer, I will speak about the varieties the Adams & Westlake bell bottomed models, as well as the discontinuance of bell bottomed lanterns and the use of the newer models of  Dietz lanterns until abandonment.