October Fall Classic
Lot 1086e:
Description
Exceptional example of a late Victorian/Edwardian acetylene bicycle lamp, a key piece of early cycling technology. It’s the Columbia 1900-1901 Automatic Model, marked on the side of the body, manufactured by the Hine-Watt Mfg. Co. of Chicago, U.S.A. The acetylene generator is mounted vertically, with a domed water tank on top and a removable carbide holder on the bottom, typical of the era’s ‘automatic’ designs where water drips onto the calcium carbide to create the gas. The headlamp features a bright reflector, a hinged door for lighting, and side jewels—one ruby red and one emerald green—for side visibility. The base is marked “PAT’D DEC. 12-99 DES. PAT. 31626,” dating the design to the very end of the 19th century. Construction is nickel-plated brass, and it includes the original adjustable bicycle handlebar clamp. The overall condition is good for a utility item of this age; the nickel plating shows minimal patina, scratching, and tarnishing, especially on the dome and the main cylinder, where there’s also notable residue from use and age. The plating on the bracket is also minimally worn, exposing some of the base metal. The knurled base cap screws off easily, and the glass lens is intact. All mechanical parts, including the clamp wingnuts and the water valve lever, are functional. H 5″, W 4″, D 7.5″.
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