History

Some decades ago - during my service at the German military - I first came into contact with Petromax lanterns we used in the field. The jet engine sound of the Petromax 500 we used guided us into the night and gave bright light to our campsites. As I guess many of us bought some of these ex-military lanterns after they were decommissioned - and so they became part of garden illumination at many private places.

Over the years, some more lanterns found their way to us, and that is where things started to be more and more complicated. Some lanterns I just wanted to save from scrapping - meaning they needed to be fully serviced. But when the following lanterns sold to me turned out to be more of a construction site than enjoyable, my decision was taken to start our Vintage Lantern project.

Too many lanterns are selling on the various trade channels as "untested but look OK." Often that means trouble ahead.

From leaking tanks, broken and missing parts, defect seals and valves, to corrosion, all lead to rather unpleasant surprises when acquiring a lantern. Time to change that!

Commitment

We offer selected lanterns from our vast collection with a commitment that goes a bit further. The individual lanterns you find in the webshop are clearly marked as what they are. No hidden surprises - and that is what sets us apart from others. 

NOS lanterns are the top end of the range. It is self-explaining they are not tested but revised in full. These lanterns will usually be regarded as high-end collector's items sitting on a shelf for display - but of course, they can be used right away.

Used lanterns in a variety of states have been in service in the past, are fully serviced, and will fire up without trouble. The varieties we refer to include regular, previously used lanterns, fine, barely ever used ones, and certainly also those rare gemstones patinated over decades in barns where they rested unmolested until rescued recently. 

Reborn Selection Lanterns are fully refurbished lanterns that initially found their way to us in unsightly condition and shape. When these rare vintage lanterns with corroded chrome parts (not patina but just badly corroded) reach us, there are two options of saving them - new chrome plating or bare metal respray. The purists will opt-in for the new chrome plating, but we believe there is room for more - and more means more colour. Sourced from a German supplier of original Land Rover colors from the 1950s/ 1960s, we use these for our reborn lanterns. They are fine lamps, fully serviced, and can be used daily. It goes without saying that our "Landy Lanterns" are available in very limited quantities only. 

Saving them - one by one!