Holophane open refractor lantern. This lantern was acquired a few years ago from fellow collector Bob Cookson, and is a very welcome addition to the collection. Unfortunately, not much is known about the lantern, other than it came from East Sussex along with several other similar Holophanes that have since found their way into various streetlighting collections.

This top-entry remote-geared lantern has a cast aluminium canopy with a steel spun brim which is attached to the canopy by three fixing screws. The majority of the light distribution from the mercury lamp is controlled by a Duo-Dome (dual-walled) prismatic glass refractor ring that encircles the lamp.

The lantern is in very good condition and merely requires the old paint stripping from it and a decent repaint; until then, it remains in storage.

No, it's not a scene from a 50's 'B' movie about flying saucers, but the holophane open refractor lantern suspended from earthing wire to give some idea of how these lanterns would have looked close-up mounted on their brackets. The double walled Duo-Dome refractor ring is seen to good effect in this shot, but the overall feel from this well proportioned lantern is that it really has a lot of that 'long lost England' quaintness about it; a real classic from the 50's.

This underside view clearly shows the 'lipped' porcelain 3-pin BC lampholder and the brass ring that secures the refractor ring to lantern. The keys give an idea of the lantern's size.

This view of the top of the lantern shows two of the three fixing points (all situated at 120 degrees apart), where the canopy fits against the brim. The green and yellow earthing wire sticking out of the top-entry mounting point is just used to hang the lantern up in a shed safely out of harm's way until it can be renovated.