Last Update:  February 16, 2012
Railroad Lanterns & Lamps Series
Rayo Oil Fired Lanterns
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Rayo No. 39 WB
Rayo No. 39 WB.   The WB stands for Wire bottom as opposed to a bell bottom lantern.   It was a common railroad lantern in the early 20th century.   Designed in the early 1900s.    The
design of the lamp is similiar to other very late 19th century and early 20th century lanterns, where the fount seperates entirely from the main lantern frame through the bottom.   No. 39
was a common term used by Rayo, Dietz and Ham to indicated the globe size.   Although I'm not sure what 39 indicates.   Rayo did make other lanterns, but the No. 39 appears to be
the only railroad model they made.    As for the age of this lantern, we're not sure, but probably dates to the late teens or maybe as new as the early 1920s.   It was found painted which
was sand blasted off and is now mostly bare metal..
Rayo No. 39 WB
Another Rayo No. 39 WB, very similar to the one above.   This one had patina and surface rust and I elected not to clean the outside yet. The inside of the lantern was cleaned to
making firing it safer and easier, but the outside was left with that special old patina.   This lantern's original pot had a broken burner, so it's shown here with the above lantern's burner
while fired.  0022  SOLD
Rayo No. 39 WB
Another Rayo No. 39 WB, very similar to the one above.   This one had surface rust and was cleaned and coated with clear coat which turned out to dramatically
improve the finish.  SOLD