PRINCIPAL LAMP CHIMNEYS

I do not sell chimneys.  The information below is only to provide more information for lamp owners.  Check the Links page for chimneys for sale.

The following list is by base diameter only - not shape. The actual shape of a chimney directs the flow of air and flame in such a way as to create the most flicker free, bright light possible. One major problem is that chimneys of the correct original design can be almost impossible to find. For example, the original 2 3/8" Success chimney has a short, small bulge. Modern replacement 2 3/8" chimneys appear to be made from molds designed for duplex lamps - not a center draft lamp. They work, but not as well as a chimney made to the original specifications.

The symbol ‘’‘ , referred to as ‘line’, is an old measurement that changed from country to country. For comparison, a 20'’‘ lamp was rated as 50 candlepower and a 30 ‘’‘ as 100 candlepower when the lamp was a center draft design using a circular wick. The system of line measurement is of German origin and was widely adopted. There is no exact conversion of line to chimney dimensions or wick sizes.

The following table, taken from an old British publication, lists the principle chimneys and globes and gives their dimensions and fittings. The list gives alternative names where they are known.  You will note that some lamps are listed under various sizes - they varied.  This is a guideline only...measure your lamp to be sure of the size chimney it requires.

 

Base Diameter Lamp

1 1/8"

Nutmeg and Acorn

1 3/16"

1 '’‘ Lilliput

1 1/4"

Improved Wonder

1 5/16"

10 Defries, 3 '’‘ Lantern, 6 '’‘ Kosmos, P&A Victor, E. Miller Boudoir

1 3/8"

10 ‘’‘ Wizard

1 7/16"

8 ‘’‘ Kosmos

1 ½"

10 ‘’‘ Securitas, Original Wonder, 15 Defries, 0 Miller, 0 Rochester, 0 Union, 1 Thermidor, 6 Slip, 5 ‘’‘ Lantern, Stella, 10 ‘’‘ Kosmos

1 9/16"

2 Termidor

1 5/8"

Gem, Miller #0

1 3/4"

8 Bulge, Bijou, Queens 12 ‘’‘, Kosmos 12 ‘’‘

1 7/8"

15 ‘’‘ Wizard, 15 ‘’‘ Mikado, 15 ‘’‘ Ophir, 14 ‘’‘ Securitas, 30 c.p. Belge, 15 ‘’‘ Charmer, 15 ‘’‘ Reform, 10 Sunbeam, 10 Triumph, 10 Daylight, 14 ‘’‘ Orion, 14 ‘’‘ Radiant, 14 ‘’‘ Progress, 14 ‘’‘ Britelite, 14 ‘’‘ Southwark, 14 ‘’‘ Superba, 14 ‘’‘ Queens; many small European burners with galleries, including small duplex burners and Kosmos #12 burner

2"

14 ‘’‘ Lighthouse, 1 Miller, 1 Rochester, 1 Union, 4 Silber, 14 ‘’‘ Vulcan, 14 ‘’‘ Kosmos (Brit?), STUDENT LAMPS and larger German & French banquet lamps

2 1/16"

 16 ''' Court, 16 ''' Eagle, 20 Defries, 15 ''' English Sun, 15 ''' Viceroy, 18 ''' Queens, 10 Bulge or Slip, Eureka, Comet, Queen Anne, Tram, Kosmos 14 ''' (AM)

2 1/8"

 #0 Rochester-Miller, #0 size Queen Ann burner, 16 ''' Wizard, 16 ''' Ariel, 16 ''' Helios, 16 ''' Orbit, 16 ''' Radiant, 16 ''' Perfection, 18 ''' Southwark, 15 ''' Clarissa, Candesco, Esso, Edina, Arro, Morelite, Lucisca, New Fumar, Pifco, Challenge, Kronos, 16 ''' Odin, 15 ''' Matador, 15 ''' Reform Wonder, 16 ''' Vulcan, 16 ''' Kosmos

2 1/4"

 16''' Vulcan, 16 ''' Kosmos

2 3/16"

 15 ''' Marvel, 15 ''' Sunbeam, 15 ''' Triumph, 15 ''' Daylight

2 3/8"

 1 New and Old Defries, 18''' Vulcan, Paragon

2 7/16"

 18 ''' Kosmos

2 1/2"

 Rayo, Rayo 22, B & H, Duplex and Argand center draft, Perfection, 60 c.p. Granville Belge, 12 p. Mitraileuse, 50 c.p. Belge, 2 Silber, 54 c.p. Annular, 45 c.p. Hinks, Nusunlite, Duplex, Comet or Tram.  All 20 ''' - Wizard, Ariel, Juno, Hesper, National, Venus, Blitz, Imperial, Premier, Clarissa, Matador, Cilaxo, Helios, Sunrise, Marvel, Sunbeam, Triumph, Daylight, English Sun, Radiant, VEritas, Sun Pine, Odin

2 9/16"

 20 ''' Court, 20 ''' Eagle, Sunlight, Rarelight, Litenite

2 5/8"

 Royal, Rayo, B&H, Miller #2 (GWTW style), Duplex, Central Draft and Aladdin Heelless: MATADOR: GWTW and #1 Queen Ann Burners,  Radiant, Rochester, Fostoria, 2 Miller, 2 Rochester, 2 Union, 2 New and Old Defries, Famos, 11 Aladdin, Handlan-Buck

2 3/4"

 24 ''' Vulcan, 14 Slip or Bulge

2 7/8"

 30 ''' Marvel, 30 ''' Triumph, 30 ''' Sunbeam, 30 ''' Daylight, 5 Anucapnic

2 15/16"

 80 Hinks

3"

 All 30 ''' - Juno, Hesper, National, Venus, Blitz, Imperial, Premier, 100 c.p. Belge, 1 Silber, Comet, Sun Pine, Victoria 8; Miller Liberty & Dresden 2/0

3 1/16"

 All 30 ''' - Clarissa, Matador, Court, Eagle, 3 Old Defries

3 1/8"

 30 ''' Veritas, 30 ''' Vulcan, Triplex, Victoria 9, 20 c.p. Matrailleuse, 7 Anacupnic, Hesperus

3 3/8"

 30 ''' Monstre, 30 ''' English Sun

3 1/2"

 9 Anacupanic

3 3/4"

 12 Anacapnic

3 7/8"

 50 ''' Vulcan

3 15/16"

 10 Union

4"

 Miller #3, Rochester #3, store lamps, B&H #96, 200 c.p. Juno #3

4 1/4"

 60 ''' Veritas

4 1/2"

 B&H #89, Globe Incandescent and The Pittsburgh (rare double constriction - see illustration below)

 

CENTER DRAFT LAMP CHIMNEYS

The chimney holders should be adjusted (bent) so they only gently hold the chimney in place - NOT TIGHTLY!  These lamps produce a lot of heat and glass expands with heat - if gripped too tightly, the base of the chimney will break.  To avoid breaking the brass fingers which hold the chimney in place, use a smooth bladed paddle pliers to bend the fingers, holding the base of the finger with needle nose pliers. 

Many P & A Royal lamps used a 2 1/2" fitter for the chimney, whereas B & H usually used 2 5/8" chimney fitters.  The fit of the chimney to a center draft P & A lamp is quite critical.  The height of the glass chimney from the base to the bulge should be 1 1/4" and the opening at the top of the chimney should be 2" minimum.  There are quite a few cheap 2 1/2" chimneys for sale which have a height from the base to the bulge of 1 5/8" and an opening of 1 3/4": the flame spreader is not in the bulge, but within the 2 1/2" base diameter.  These lamps generate a considerable amount of heat, and the combination of a restricted airflow with a 1 3/4" top opening and the flame spreader not up into the bulge often results in the chimney cracking horizontally at the base of the bulge on the first burning!   Those $4.10 chimneys that appear to be a good buy turn out to be not so charming when they break the first time you use them!

"The chimney HAS to be right. Your wicks won't perform properly if the chimney isn't exactly right. I have experimented with several chimneys hat ''fit'' the Success burner base, but there is a vast difference in how the flame works. I wish I could be more descriptive, but there were major differences. One chimney produced a perfect flame while another produced ''spikes'' of flame that prevented the wick from being raised properly."  Dick Stauffer

Any air leak at the base of the chimney will cause excess oxygen to enter a gap and upset the delicate air/fuel balance, resulting in "spikes" of flame.  One potential "cure" for chimneys which cause a "spike" of flame is to flat sand the base of the chimney.  Modern chimneys are made pretty cheaply, and often the base is not level.  Using 400 grit emery paper on a perfectly flat surface, gently and carefully hold the chimney base flat on the sandpaper and gently stroke straight away from you.  Lift the chimney, return it to the front of the sandpaper and make another stroke.  Then look at the base of the chimney.  If you see a dull spot, that is a high place that got sanded.  Sand the base again until all the gloss is gone, and therefore all the "high" places are sanded down even with the "low" places. 

ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS AND COMMENTARY BY ALEX MUZYKA

Lamp Type

Draft Tube OD

OW Tube ID

Chimney

Sub OK *

Rayo Jr.

7/8"

1 1/8"

2" X 8"

Yes

Miller Juno Jr.

1 1/32"

1 9/32"

2" X 8"

No

B&H Junior

1 3/32"

1 11/32"

2 1/8" X 8

Yes

P&A Royal Finger Lamp Size #1

1.00"

1 3/8"

2" X 8"or 2" X 6 Ύ"

No

Miller Junior Lamp

 

 

2" fitter

 

* As far as chimneys are concerned, most Junior size lamps are not picky when it comes down to chimneys. The Rayo Jr. gallery and burner are the most tolerant. The lamp burns well with both vintage chimneys, modern Czechoslovakian chimneys and cheaper Chinese imports with the longer than normal necks.

The B&H Junior uses an unusual 2 1/8" X 8 ½" chimney. The only replacement that I could find that fits is an cheaper Chinese import. Fortunately, the chimney fits perfectly and burns perfectly with the taller neck since the flame spreader is quite tall in the B&H junior.

The Plume & Atwood Royal #1 burner works the best with a vintage 2" X 8" junior chimney. The lamp burns with a very bright, clean and steady flame. The longer neck of the cheaper Chinese import causes the flame to flicker. The P&A flame spreader is short and does not have a stabilizing disk. The long neck of the chimney results in over-drafting and flicker. Modern Czechoslovakian chimneys don’t fit. The lamp gallery only accepts a chimney with a 2" fitter. These chimneys are ever so slightly bigger at the fitter…. No good. The lamp would probably burn well should the chimney fit. There is enough draft in the lamp design that a shorter 6 Ύ" chimney burns cleanly. The smaller chimney looks nicer on a finger lamp, more proportional to its small size. Notice that the P&A Royal burner, even in the #1 size, uses a wick that is slightly thicker than the rest, as is the case with the P&A size #2 burners!

In my opinion, the lamp manufacturers did not standardize the junior size at all. Just look at the draft and wick tube diameters. Finding a wick for each lamp is nearly impossible. Finding chimneys for them is not that much easier either. For example, the Rayo Jr. wicks do not fit any other junior lamp. Fortunately for Rayo Jr. owners, Miles Stair’s #1 wick is a perfect replacement for the Rayo lamps…. but to my dismay aren’t wide enough for any other lamp. The B&H junior lamp not only boasts an oddball wick, but chimney as well. I could not find any vintage 2 1/8" X 8 ½" chimneys. Fortunately the cheap 2 1/8" cheap Chinese import chimneys fit perfectly. Their longer fitter neck mates well with the tall flame spreader of the B&H junior lamp, resulting in a tall, bright and clean burning flame.

On a positive note, junior lamps are beautiful in their own right. Their small size makes them attractive almost anywhere. They put out a good amount of light while being thrifty on fuel at the same time. They are brighter than 15’’’ Matador lamps. The Rayo Jr. is certainly no "fuel hog" as its full sized cousin. They do not put out a tremendous amount of heat but radiate enough infrared heat to keep you cozy on a cold day. The few junior lamps that I have come to own burn very cleanly. The Miller junior and Rayo junior burn better (IMHO) than their full sized cousins. Unfortunately, they are not as common as their full sized counterparts, even on Ebay. If you’re lucky enough to own one of these gems, consider making it work if it doesn’t. You will not be disappointed with them!

Alex Muzyka

 

The image below was scanned from a reproduction of an old Success catalog.  Sorry it is blurry, but the image from the catalog itself appeared to be a reproduction.

 

 

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