Mel - Owner (Monday, 20 September 2021 08:25)

Hello Daniel, once again, you did comprehensive research. I do see your point with the conflicting information with the patents in regards to the level mechanism works to raise the globe. In order for others to make sense of what you said, I have translated both German texts in regards to that subject.

Patent 19858: "To lift the glass cylinder, grasp the free arm of the double lever and press it down, the other arm lifting this lever with the glass cylinder."



Patent CH2688A: "A lock for hurricane lanterns with a double lever and connecting or articulated piece, which has the same direction of movement as the glass cylinder to be moved"

Daniel J (Monday, 20 September 2021 03:27)

In fact, there is a Patent which protects the invention of raising the lever up with the glass, it is CH2688A, 1890, from Alfred Hürlimann, Rapperswil.
"Ein Verschluss für Sturmlaternen mit Doppelhebel und Verbindungs- oder Gelenkstück, welcher die gleiche Bewegungsrichtung hat, wie der zu bewegende Glaszylinder"

However, I did not find any evidence who this person was, what business he did and whether he was related to either Trost or Egloff.

Daniel J (Monday, 20 September 2021 02:29)

Oh yes, that famous Patent 19858. I have never seen so far a lantern using the priciple described in this document. The lever in the patent has to be pressed DOWN to raise the glass, not UP. So even the lantern which have been produced by Trost marked with the number of this patent do not really use it. This is the case with many articles produced in Switzerland in the first half of the last century: Pure publicity, to make the customer think that the item is unique and special, the producer invented just someting and used the number of the patent in his ads. At this time, there was no Internet and no customer was able to have a look at the Patent document.

Here the relevant text part in German: "Zum Heben des Glascylinders erfasst man den freien Arm des Doppelhebels und drückt ihn nieder, wobei der andere Arm diese Hebels mit dem Glascylinder sich hebt." Google translates this text very accurate.

Mel - Owner (Friday, 17 September 2021 08:28)

Hello Daniel,

I am well aware of the Swiss Armee Catalog. I will have to stick with my original information that this lantern was made by Cie & Trost. According to the other experts, that is who made this lantern. Please note the additional Patent information posted above.

Daniel J (Friday, 17 September 2021 05:48)

I checked the cataloque of the Swiss Army Museum, you probably know it: https://www.armeemuseum.ch/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Lampenkatalog_03-08-1.pdf
On page 100, you find a 'Castor Grubenlampe' with the trade mark of Castor Egloff, a caduceus with and anchor and the word 'CASTOR'. The catalogues sais 'Egloff, Niederrohrdorf AG. and 'Um 1918'.

The same catalogue shows also three 'Record' lantern on pages 50 - 53. One of them does not name a producer, the other two also mention 'Egloff & Cie, Rohrdorf AG'. All three assume ca. 1930 as the production date.
I am aware that not all information in this catalogue is 100% accurate, but at least it gives some evidence.

Mel - Owner (Thursday, 16 September 2021 08:07)

Very good research Dan. I'm publishing your comment in the event more documentation is revealed that this lantern was made by Egloff & Cie.

Daniel J (Thursday, 16 September 2021 05:44)

After checking my lantern a second time, I also found the caduceus symbol. So I did more research on this topic. This sybol has been used in Europe:
- By Napoleon as symbol for the administration
- By the Deutsche Wehrmacht in WW 2 as symbol for logigistic troops
- By the GDR customs after WW2
But never by the Swiss Army or governement

However, the caduceus WAS used as a trademark for early Carbide lanterns made by the company Castor Egloff & Cie after the fusion with Merker in 1918. Later, their trade mark was a cock. See http://www.sghb.ch/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Minaria-Helvetica-Nr.-25a-2005.pdf pages 33-40, in detail on p37: 'CASTOR unter Anker und Äskulapstab im Kreis auf der einen, MODELL DEPOSE auf der anderen Wassertankseite.'. I assume that the symbols of Hermes and Aeskulap were confused here.

BUT: Later, the sons of the old Merker founded new companies which exist until today. And they used the caduceus symbol as their trademark at least around 1930, see picture here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Merker_Durchlauferhitzer.jpg
And in a smaller version of this picture in this collection: https://www.thelovelandlanterncollection.com/tom-salkeld-s-f-m-cie-f-merker/

Therefore I assume Castor Egloff (C Egloff & Cie) as the builder of this 'Record' lantern in the period between 1918 and 1930.

Daniel J (Wednesday, 18 August 2021 11:24)

The caduceus symbol is not of Swiss origin. I own an identical lantern without any sign on the bottom. In the Swiss army, the symbol for medics is one snake only and no wings. There is also no connection to Wilhelm Tell or to Swiss Made, those are completely different symbols (and popular from 1030 to 1950).

I assume this is the signature of an earlier owner of this lamp.

KB (Tuesday, 25 February 2020 09:49)

hello, There is a clue though ! Apart from a wide variety of cheeses and watches Switzerland is mostly identified by its cross but their national hero is Wilhelm (William) Tell, a historical figure representing rebellion against oppression and the famous legend of the crossbow "apple shot". The logo on the lamp could represents the crossbow and a snake tail or Chimera tail as represented in a painting (Wikipedia William Tell). This could be an explanation but there is another hint. French tinsmith and lamp manufacturer Ballant and Dresco, before Veuve L. Dresco, uses the same symbol. If you are interested I can send you a scan from an invoice dated 1911.
Kind regards from France