Carbide Hand Lamps/Squarelite Supt Lamp I and Highgrader Stick

Carbide Hand Lamps

Squarelite Supt Lamp I and Highgrader Stick.JPG - SQUARELITE WITH LAMP STICK - Brass Guy’s Dropper Squarelite superintendent’s lamp with pistol grip lamp stick, 5 ¼ in. tall, 2 ½ in. square top, 3 in. dia. reflector, marked on side of lamp top in shield SQUARELITE PAT. MAY 26-14 SEPT. 19-16 OCT. 17-16 and GUY’S DROPPER on top, with folding handles and hook; lamp stick is 10 ¾ in. long and pistol grip withhighgrader handle; ex-Scott Brady collection (The Shanklin Manufacturing Co. of Springfield, IL was a prominent producer of miner's carbide lamps with its famous "Guy's Dropper" carbide cap lamp. Designed by Frank Guy, he obtained his first patent in 1910 (#974,054 of Oct. 25, 1910) and two additional patents (#1,097,716 of May 26, 1914 and #1,198,537 of Sept. 19, 1916) while developing a business arrangement with brothers George and Edgar Shanklin to manufacture the lamps. In 1913, the brothers formed the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. to mass produce the Guy's Dropper lamp. The two-date model refers to the 1914 and 1916 patent dates. The single date Guy's Dropper lamps are quite scarce. The war years of 1917-18 substantially increased the demand for carbide lamps as the need for coal and minerals peaked. The Guy's Dropper benefited with this demand with increased production of both the cap and hand lamps. In addition, Shanklin manufactured a Guy's Dropper cap and superintendent-style hand lamp variation known as the "Squarelite," distinguished by the square shape of the lamp top as shown here. The Squarelite design was patented by George Shanklin on Oct. 17, 1916 as #49,782. These lamps are scarce and coveted by collectors. As with other carbide lamp manufacturers, the 1920s brought a decline in the demand for acetylene lamps and problems for the Shanklin company. In 1932, the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Co. where the Guy's Dropper continued in production as a best-selling Universal product until the company ceased manufacturing carbide lamps in 1960. See Clemmer, American Miner's Carbide Lamps, pp 85-88)

Squarelite Supt Lamp I and Highgrader Stick | SQUARELITE WITH LAMP STICK - Brass Guy’s Dropper Squarelite superintendent’s lamp with pistol grip lamp stick, 5 ¼ in. tall, 2 ½ in. square top, 3 in. dia. reflector, marked on side of lamp top in shield SQUARELITE PAT. MAY 26-14 SEPT. 19-16 OCT. 17-16 and GUY’S DROPPER on top, with folding handles and hook; lamp stick is 10 ¾ in. long and pistol grip with highgrader handle; ex-Scott Brady collection (The Shanklin Manufacturing Co. of Springfield, IL was a prominent producer of miner's carbide lamps with its famous "Guy's Dropper" carbide cap lamp. Designed by Frank Guy, he obtained his first patent in 1910 (#974,054 of Oct. 25, 1910) and two additional patents (#1,097,716 of May 26, 1914 and #1,198,537 of Sept. 19, 1916) while developing a business arrangement with brothers George and Edgar Shanklin to manufacture the lamps. In 1913, the brothers formed the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. to mass produce the Guy's Dropper lamp. The two-date model refers to the 1914 and 1916 patent dates. The single date Guy's Dropper lamps are quite scarce. The war years of 1917-18 substantially increased the demand for carbide lamps as the need for coal and minerals peaked. The Guy's Dropper benefited with this demand with increased production of both the cap and hand lamps. In addition, Shanklin manufactured a Guy's Dropper cap and superintendent-style hand lamp variation known as the "Squarelite," distinguished by the square shape of the lamp top as shown here. The Squarelite design was patented by George Shanklin on Oct. 17, 1916 as #49,782. These lamps are scarce and coveted by collectors. As with other carbide lamp manufacturers, the 1920s brought a decline in the demand for acetylene lamps and problems for the Shanklin company. In 1932, the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Co. where the Guy's Dropper continued in production as a best-selling Universal product until the company ceased manufacturing carbide lamps in 1960. See Clemmer, American Miner's Carbide Lamps, pp 85-88)

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