Rare Tubular Lanterns

Several months ago, a good neighbor moved away. He collected lanterns, but he was downsizing to an apartment and couldn’t take them with him. He gave a few to family and dropped what was left about 5 of them off in our garage. This was the beginning to a hobby I truly enjoy.

I’m kind of a history nerd. and lanterns have a lot of history behind them. I enjoy finding them, researching them and then I clean them up and give them a new home. I find it amazing that most are close to 100 years old and still, with a little work look fantastic and work like new. I can’t think of anything else that works so well 100 years later.

My favorite was the Little Wizards by Dietz, or the Little Giant. Pretty much the same lantern but with a larger tank. Then I found a Gem. A cheaper version of the Little Wizard made in the depression era, they soon became a favorite as well. Soon I had a few Monarchs, Reeds, Supremes and several Little Air Pilots made by Embury; a lantern I’ve grown to love, I now have 5.

These beautiful lanterns sit and/or hang throughout my studio amongst my rocks which we will get to in another blog post. Some lanterns I burn, others I just enjoy them just sitting there, and there are others that I’ve installed Kirkman light kits in with 1-3 watt bulbs. They work great as a nightlight and create an atmosphere like no other.

Please enjoy a few pictured below.

1927 Little Giant

Probably my favorite of the barn lanterns. I installed a Kirkman light kit in this one with a 3 watt flick bulb, because I will probably never burn this one due to its age. Its a beautiful lantern with heavy patina and red Little Wizard globe.. Dietz started making the Little Giant in 1926.

Early 1930’s Dietz Gem

One of three of my GEMS and one of my favorites! (Depression Era) A Little Wizard with green paint; a common color back in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s. Unfortunately the paint covers the date stamp, but I’m guessing early 30’s. The lantern is made cheaper and more affordable with coke tin and no beading in the air tubes. I installed a Kirkman light kit and run a 3 watt flicker bulb. It current hangs and lights my bathroom.

1950’s Little Air Pilot by Embury

Great shape, built like a tank, and my go to daily burner to take the chill out of my office.

I also collect railroad lanterns, specifically The Pere Marquette lanterns, because the love I have for the train (engine 1225) and quite simply there are too many railroads to collect them all, so, I had to set limits. Click here to view my entire Pere Marquette Lantern Collection.

My Pere Marquette Lantern Collection

Pere Marquette Lanterns

I love the history, and who doesn’t love the Pere Marquette 1225 in the Polar Express? The Flint / Pere Marquette started in the late 1800’s While the PMRY started in 1900. Their trains ran the rails across Michigan, Canada, Illinois, and New York. The Lanterns pictured below all have one thing in common. They all were used on the Pere Marquette Railway. I love the simplicity of design and the longevity of the railway lanterns. They served their purpose and manage to withstand the test of time. At over 100 years old, they look great restored as well as preserved and all work as they should. I would collect them all, but decided early on that there are too many railroads and too many versions to collect, so I settled on collecting primarily the Pere Marquette. Below is probably one of the largest collections of Pere Marquette railroad lanterns. Enjoy…

“The Adams” 1897 PMRR X 2

Two Adams and Westlake: (1) PMRR and (1) Pere Marquette Stamped lids. Older Bottom Twist-off Burners with Flat-Wire Frames and Pere Marquette Embossed Globes. 127 Years Old and both still look good as new. The one on the left with the dark patine was won in a Rail and Road Auction.

1910 Dietz #39 Standard Bell Bottom

Squat model version, called the "X.L.C.R." with an extended tall globe—etched PM RR.

A Rail and Road Auction Win.

Three of my favorite restored pieces. Cleaned to as close to factory condition as possible. (2) 1913 Reliables and (1) 1903 Adams (middle). They are beautiful to display and hard to believe well over 100 years old.

My favorite lanterns are the ones that tell a story and these two due exactly that. I cleaned them up, but I didn't wash away the story.  They are preserved rather than restored. (2) 1913 Reliables. The comfortable leather wrapped grips, to the holes drilled in the lid to warm their hands, the paint used to protect them from rust all tells a lot about the life on the rails in the early days. Lanterns were a very important tool back in the day, every slight modification had its purpose. Now, they are works of art, filled with stories and history.

While the lanterns were great for giving off light and heat, the different colored glass globes gave off signals for the trains to operate at night. Each color has its own meaning. For example; White (clear) - Safe to proceed. Green - Proceed (white and green could be used together in certain circumstances). Yellow (Amber) - Proceed at reduced speed. Red - Stop or danger ahead, and Blue meant that men were working in the area. Pictured with a HO gauge or the Pere Marquette 1225 hauling freight.

Pictured above: Adam Westlake (AW, Adlake, Adams) Reliables (1912 double guard Reliable, many 1913 Reliables), 1895/1903 Adams (transitional), Adlake 100, 200, 250(s), Kero(s), a Dietz #39 Standard (Bell bottom) and two Adams 1897, all with embossed/etched and/or stamped with PM(s), PMRY(s), PMRR(s) and/or Pere Marquette. All railroad, dead-flame lanterns have original burners & founts with either wire, leather wrapped, or wooden bails.

Other PM, PM RY or PM RR Memorabilia

Pictured here is a step ladder used on the Pere Marquette Railway along with a Smudge Torch (PM RY embossed on the bottom) used for melting ice and an Oil can (PM RY embossed on the bottom) used on the engines. The ladder (PM RY Stenciled on both sides) is extreme sturdy (compared to today’s models. Steps are higher and farther apart.), made of oak and supported by a wide center leather strap. I use it for display as pictured.

PM RY Galvanized Oily Rag Waste Container

Repurposed and used as a waste basket in my home office. This item is fully functional with a little surface rust and some minor dents that could probably be bumped out, but I tend to like to leave things the way I find them, minus the dirt and grime of course. I’ll clean them up, but I like to leave the stories (the wonder) in them whenever possible; preserved rather than restored is my preferred choice and it usually ends up being one of my favorite finds.
Size: 24”T x 20” Diameter. Estimated date: Pre-1920 (There is no foot pedal to open lid hands free, and T hinges instead of the continuous piano hinge in later models.)

My entire collection of Pere Marquette Railway lanterns to date (13qty 8/23/24). I'm sure more have been added since and add to the carousel above. (Update 20qty 11/10/24).

Added hooks to the cabinet doors to display the “double guards” together (From left to rIght: Adams 1897, Adams 1897, Dietz #39 Standard 1910, Adams 1903, and Adlake Reliable 1912.)

A photo I took of the Pere Marquette 1225 (December 2023). It hangs proudly in our living room. It took First Place in the Best or Steam photo competition (Huckleberry Railroad & Crossroads Village 2024). Two 1913 Adlake Realible Lanterns with embossed globes bracket the photo.  The Polar Express train displays on the shelf below.  More info here.

The Pere Marquette 1225 - Polar Express

SQ1225DW - First Place in the “2024 Best of Steam Photo Competition (Huckleberry Railroad & Crossroads Village)."  The 1225 was built in Lima Ohio in October, 1941 and still runs today every December as the Polar Express from Owosso, Michigan to Ashley Michigan. The 1225 got it's fame when featured in the Movie staring Tom Hanks "The Polar Express" based on the children's picture book by Chris Van Allsburg written in 1985 by the same name.

Who doesn’t love the story The Polar Express? The book and especially the movie adaptation, featuring Tom Hanks was incredible. Every year the Polar Express runs from Owosso to Ashley, Michigan. Every year I say I would love to meet up and photograph it. Well this was the year. The weather was cold and rainy and I almost didn’t go, but something told me to get back in the truck and go anyway. You get very few chances to see the most famous train in the world and there was only a couple weekends left.

I was in Carland the day before and took some shots at the Carland Elevator, but I didn’t care for the results. The steam wasn’t right and was blowing in the wrong direction, so I returned the next day hoping for a second chance. It was cold and dreary that morning. I loaded up the truck and sat inside letting the engine warm up a bit. It started to rain. I got out of the truck and went inside the house. I wasn’t going. It wasn’t 5 minutes later and I was back in the truck backing out of the driveway. It’s a 45 minute drive, maybe, just maybe it isn’t raining there I thought. I was off…

It was still raining when I got there, not hard, but just enough to make it cold and miserable. I stood in my spot and patiently waited. You could hear the whistle blow for miles before it finally arrived. I’m so glad I went. The steam that gloomy Sunday morning was as magical as the train itself. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

I got the shot I wanted, but it wasn’t enough, the chase was on….

I chased that train all the way to Ashley stopping at every crossing I could, just to get another shot.

~ A magical day with a story that I love.

SQ5366DW - Second Place in the “2024 Best of Steam Photo Competition (Huckleberry Railroad & Crossroads Village).”

SQ5424DW

SQ5225DW

SQ5309DW

SQ5344DW

SQ5254DW

Sofa size canvas print (30” x 40”) going where else? Above the sofa….

If you see something you like, prints and canvas prints are available for purchase! Click here!
(If you would like one of the other images shown please email (dan.waltz.dw@gmail.com). I can make it happen for the same price.) Thank you!

A 30" x 40" canvas displayed in our living room with two Pere Marquette lanterns, and a Lionel "O" gauge Polar Express train(AKA Pere Marquette 1225)

16 x 20 canvas displayed in my home office, with a Bachman "HO" version of the Pere Marquette engine and tender, along with many PM lanterns and other PM memorabilia (most not pictured)

Above is my full collection to date (8/24) of Pere Marquette Railroad lanterns. More info here.

Sax-Zim Bog:

Sax-Zim Bog (SZB) has grown to be one of my favorite places to go to photograph nature, and it’s really not a place at all. Yes, it has a Welcome Center, which is open during the winter months and a couple months in the summer, but the bog itself is more of an area on a map than it is a place. If you are familiar at all with Fish Point in Michigan’s thumb area, it has its similarities., yet, it’s entirely different.  Similar in ways that county and public roads border as well as cut through the area, so there is no main entrance to pass through, nor are there any fees to pay. (Although donations are always welcome at the center, and needed.) Anyone can drive through at any time, day or night. If you don’t know the area, you won’t even know you are actually there (a map will come in handy more times than not), but that’s where the similarities end and a different eco system begins.

Great Gray Owl, early morning -34 degrees.

SZB is 300sq. miles of Tamarack and Birch trees, and is full of snags. It closely resembles Canada’s Boreal Forest. In the winter months the bog is known for its population of Boreal birds that migrate down for milder weather and better food source. The Northern Hawk Owl and Boreal Owl, the Boreal Chickadee, Evening Grosbeaks, Magpie and Canada Jay are just a few that can be seen there. The elusive and well sought after, Great Gray Owl is always the prize winner and a delight to see if you are lucky enough to find one.  Birders and Photographers from all over the world go there for their chance to see and photograph this magnificent bird. 

Great Gray Owl on a gnarly tree.

If you are a “Birder”, you have at least heard of “Sax-Zim Bog”. If you are a serious birder, you’ve probably already been, or it’s on your Bucket List. I urge you not to hesitate to go, it’s a trip you’ll never forget. I’ve been three times now. Once in November (2020) and twice in February (2020, 2022). November is cold, February is much colder. Both times in February the temps went down to -30 and -34 degrees. Keep that in mind in your travels. Don’t stay home, just bundle up.

Great Gray Owl on the prowl.

There are no guaranties that you will see an owl on your trip, but that’s what makes it fun and rewarding when you do find them. So far, I’ve been lucky. I’ve seen two or three Great Grays each trip and my most recent trip I was blessed with a remarkable show of watching one hunt for almost two hours. It’s a Twelve hour drive for me. A long drive with no guarantee, but, so far, its been worth the drive every time.

Great Gray after a successful dive. A vole for breakfast.

Until next year….. Hope to see you there.

More photos from these trips can be seen on his website at www.danwaltz.com/photography/owls (look for #SZB)