Carbide Cap Lamps/Simmons Pioneer with Hold-a-Lite Reflector

Carbide Cap Lamps

Simmons Pioneer with Hold-a-Lite Reflector.JPG - SIMMONS PIONEER LAMP WITH HOLD-A-LITE REFLECTOR - Pioneer lamp by John Simmons Co., marked S in diamond trade mark, PAT. DEC 17, 1901, BALDWIN PAT. MAR 11, 1913, OTHERS PENDING; with Hold-a-Lite reflector; acquired from Paul Johnson (This Pioneer lamp is interesting in that it is equipped with a Hold-a-Lite relector. As noted elsewhere, Baldwin and Simmons parted in 1913, Baldwin to pursue the Zar lamp development noted elsewhere in the cap lamp photos and Simmons to continue to market both Baldwin and Simmons-branded lamps. The Simmons Co. manufactured its own cap and superintendent lamps marked with the distinctive raised S in a diamond trade mark. Of note is the Pioneer lamp shown here that was heavily advertised by Simmons around 1917. The reflector is different in that it is the reflector used on the Hold-a-Lite lamps. The patent dates marked on these lamps are for patent #688,926 awarded to A. L. Buffington on Dec. 17, 1901 for an acetylene bicycle lamp with burner and reflector on the same axis and design patent #13,542 awarded to Baldwin on Mar. 11, 1913 for an acetylene generating lamp. There is no evidence that any of these lamps were actually stamped with the Pioneer name. After leaving the John Simmons Co. in 1913, Frederic Baldwin formed the Zar Manufacturing Co. in New York City. By an agreement sometime in the 1914-15 timeframe, Baldwin patented and manufactured his new Zar lamp while Simmons continued to produce and market the familiar hour-glass shaped Baldwin lamp. By the end of 1917, the Zar Manufacturing Co. was already going out of business. Baldwin sold 17 of his Zar lamp patents to Simmons which is interesting in that Simmons was already phasing out production of its carbide lamps while buying the patents. Production of the Zar lamp lasted but a couple years. In 1917, Simmons produced and advertised the very rare Hold-A-Lite lamp with a similar appearance to the Zar. However, the Hold-A-Lite appears to have had a very short production life. Somewhere in the transition, a Hold-a-Lite reflector was included with a Pioneer lamp. See Bohannan, Mining Artifact Collector #16, pp 20-25)

Simmons Pioneer with Hold-a-Lite Reflector | SIMMONS PIONEER LAMP WITH HOLD-A-LITE REFLECTOR - Pioneer lamp by John Simmons Co., marked S in diamond trade mark, PAT. DEC 17, 1901, BALDWIN PAT. MAR 11, 1913, OTHERS PENDING; with Hold-a-Lite reflector; acquired from Paul Johnson (This Pioneer lamp is interesting in that it is equipped with a Hold-a-Lite relector. As noted elsewhere, Baldwin and Simmons parted in 1913, Baldwin to pursue the Zar lamp development noted elsewhere in the cap lamp photos and Simmons to continue to market both Baldwin and Simmons-branded lamps. The Simmons Co. manufactured its own cap and superintendent lamps marked with the distinctive raised S in a diamond trade mark. Of note is the Pioneer lamp shown here that was heavily advertised by Simmons around 1917. The reflector is different in that it is the reflector used on the Hold-a-Lite lamps. The patent dates marked on these lamps are for patent #688,926 awarded to A. L. Buffington on Dec. 17, 1901 for an acetylene bicycle lamp with burner and reflector on the same axis and design patent #13,542 awarded to Baldwin on Mar. 11, 1913 for an acetylene generating lamp. There is no evidence that any of these lamps were actually stamped with the Pioneer name. After leaving the John Simmons Co. in 1913, Frederic Baldwin formed the Zar Manufacturing Co. in New York City. By an agreement sometime in the 1914-15 timeframe, Baldwin patented and manufactured his new Zar lamp while Simmons continued to produce and market the familiar hour-glass shaped Baldwin lamp. By the end of 1917, the Zar Manufacturing Co. was already going out of business. Baldwin sold 17 of his Zar lamp patents to Simmons which is interesting in that Simmons was already phasing out production of its carbide lamps while buying the patents. Production of the Zar lamp lasted but a couple years. In 1917, Simmons produced and advertised the very rare Hold-A-Lite lamp with a similar appearance to the Zar. However, the Hold-A-Lite appears to have had a very short production life. Somewhere in the transition, a Hold-a-Lite reflector was included with a Pioneer lamp. See Bohannan, Mining Artifact Collector #16, pp 20-25)

Original Image

Total images: 779 | Last update: 5/27/20 4:49 PM | Help