Penrose Antiques

Description

The perfect gift for someone interested in Yorkshire industrial history, a rather hard to find copper and brass CEAG BE3 Factory Inspectorate safety lamp dating from around 1931.

This lamp consists of a copper heavy body, the lower part designed to hold a bespoke CEAG 4.5volt battery, and an upper screw on copper component housing the switch mechanism which in turn extends to a brass housed light with a screw on brass cover incorporating a quartered brass grating. The base and lamp component are also coupled by a brass lock, preventing the opening of the battery housing or removal of the brass lamp cover. The body of the lamp also carries a brass label marked with CEAG Ltd Barnsley, Yorks, England B.E.3 Factory Inspectorate, Cert. 24 (Pentane). The base is also marked The CEAG Miners Supply Co LTD Barnsley and Type BE.3. The lamp dates to 1931. A 1930s film of the factory can be found online at the Yorkshire Film Archive under CEAG light bulb factory.

CEAG has been manufacturing miners lamps for years. The company was originally German owned, but was seized at the start of WW1 and not only continued to produce miners lamps but also made lights for the British military. The The B.E.3 Factory Inspectorate lamp was designed to be spark proof for use in environments containing high atmospheric concentrations of flammable gases and were used in ships, petroleum plans and coal mines. As such the lamp is a real piece of Yorkshire industrial history. CEAG is still in operation and is still based in Barnsley.

The lamp is (8cm) wide and (17cm) high excluding the thick brass wire handle and hanging Hook. The lamp is in an excellent condition with just the surface wear and minor abrasions one would expect from a 90 year old copper and brass lamp.