Glass Message Board

Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Far East (excluding China) => Topic started by: Lustrousstone on January 07, 2008, 10:49:54 AM

Title: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on January 07, 2008, 10:49:54 AM
Here's something I didn't know about. The English is a bit creative but there's plenty of pictures http://uranglass.gooside.com/goldenlight/goldeneng.htm (http://uranglass.gooside.com/goldenlight/goldeneng.htm)

If anyone spots on in real life let me know!
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on January 07, 2008, 12:46:46 PM
They pop-up fairly regularly, mostly US ones, sell for 300+ dollars - use 'headlight' when searching
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on January 07, 2008, 01:25:33 PM
In that case they might have to stay in the US  ;D Thanks Frank
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: David E on January 07, 2008, 05:34:07 PM
I imagined uranium glass lenses with UV lamps when I saw this topic, but these are quite cool.

Also worth reading the photo captions for a bit of suspect translation, but they are using apostrophes correctly ;)

Christine, did you notice the mention of a NOTEK car uranium headlamp, made in Britain? Bottom of page. I have seen NOTEK on eBay before, but not sure whether these were uranium glass.

Quote
... the shorter wavelength of light cut by the power transmission that because the UK is a lot like fog in the country was the right thing
Hmm, I think I know what they mean!
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on January 07, 2008, 06:40:26 PM
There is likely a specific patent for these. It might even specify uranium glass.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on January 07, 2008, 06:49:28 PM
I guess it was the Notek Fogmaster that used the uranium glass. There is a variety of Notek lamps on ebay, including the Roadmaster
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on January 07, 2008, 07:22:58 PM
There are probably more details on other railroad sites. It is the reflector and not the lens that matters.

http://home.mindspring.com/~railroadimages/goldenglow.htm

Here is one lit up...

http://transit.nerail.org/showpic/?2006062416265420909.jpg
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Bernard C on January 08, 2008, 07:34:53 AM
I love the review of Skelcher, The Big Book of Vaseline Glass:-

Quote
Mr. Skelcher of UKAEA(Atomic Energy Agency in UK) explains the history, effect of radiation, and method of radiation measurement..
Of course, all colored vaseline glass photos are shown.
Good for maniac people.

While it is easy to smile at minor mistranslations, you have to admire the JUGCC website and the effort involved in producing it.   I look forward to Dr. Tomabechi and his associates utilising the GMB, and should they read this, I assure them that they would be most welcome.

... and the big bowl of vaseline glass of "EDO KIRIKO" (two layer cut glass of EDO era style), which is probably only one piece in Japan sounds fascinating, but desperately needs illustrating with photographs and further explanation.

Bernard C.  8)
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on January 08, 2008, 07:41:06 AM
Maniac people must be me then. Also seems they are making some uranium glass in Japan
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Leni on January 08, 2008, 09:27:50 AM
Do you think it's a symptom of us Uranium glass collectors, that we are Manic?  :mrgreen: :chky: 

I wonder if the Japanese use the closed cabinet method used by the Scandinavians when working with Uranium glass, or if they are just less careful for their workers' health and safety?  Hmmmm!  :-\ 
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on January 18, 2008, 08:19:35 PM
So far the earliest reference is 1918 thanks to Tim on a light bulb collectors forum:

Quote
The Gasoline Automobile by Peter Martin Heldt, 1918
The source also mentions that a company called Esterline made an automobile headlamp using a Golden Glow reflector.  It would seem that “Golden Glow” was used loosely to describe such reflectors.

Esterline was set up in 1916 and until 1967 scientific instrument makers. No trace of patents with any of the names known now but it is Possible "Golden Glow" is just a nickname that stuck. Perhaps the concept arrived during WW1 when they need good compact bright lights and Arc Lamps were a bit cumbersome at that time. Possibly not a US invention, a lot of European countries have/had yellow headlights as standard, did they ever use uranium reflectors? Well, lots of questions, now you vaseline collectors better get to some vintage vehicle gatherings... armed with geiger and UV light  :)

It is possible that the use of a uranium reflector pre-dates electric light.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on February 24, 2008, 06:00:52 PM
Over on the lightbulb forum at http://bulbcollector.com/
Tim has found two candidates for inventors

http://bulbcollector.com/forum/index.php?topic=1036.0
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on February 24, 2008, 06:54:51 PM
Interesting stuff, thank you for taking it further  :clap:
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: JUGCC on December 02, 2010, 01:51:06 AM
http://uranglass.gooside.com/goldenlight/goldeneng.htm

If anyone spots on in real life let me know!

My name is Ritsuo, and I am managing the Japan Uranium Glass Collectors Club (JUGCC). We have about 200 members.

The above page is machine-translated from Japanese to English, and may be difficult to read.

We have an automobile fog-light made by German maker for UK automobiles, and the front glass of this light is uranium glass.
The age is 1910-1920.

Japanese train light (so-called Golden Glow Light) is using uranium glass in its mirror, and front glass is NOT uranium glass.
The age is about 1930.

Recently, we acquired a big train head light of US steam locomotive.
It is similar to the above Japanese train light.
The age is 1920s.
 
Vaseline glass (Uranium glass) have been mostly used at homes.
The only scientific use is head-light, and vacuum tube (cathode ray tuber).

2010-Dec-02
Ritsuo
manager of the Japan Uranium Glass Collectors Club (JUGCC).
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on December 02, 2010, 02:21:51 AM
Welcome, it would be nice to hear about vaseline glass production in Japan.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on December 02, 2010, 02:27:01 AM
Apologies you cover it here http://uranglass.gooside.com/UGjapan/UGjapan.htm thank you.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: mrvaselineglass on December 02, 2010, 04:38:39 AM
I am in the USA, and I have a friend who has one of these headlights, and it is working and he put a blacklight bulb in it.  It is kinda cool!  I think he paid about $500 for it.  On all the streetcar lights I have seen, it is the reflector along the back surface that is made from uranium glass........except I have one that is the lens and it is made out of vaseline/uranium/canary glass (depending on what country you are in and what you call it).  From the outer rim to the top of the dome, it is over an inch thick and is convex.  The lens in the middle works and in bright sunlight, you can concentrate the sun enough to start a fire.  The neat part....It was made by Corning.  On the rim, it says CORNING MONEX, and a U.S. Pat. date of 12-9-13.  My lens has a few dings on it....but hey, it is 97 years old!  I have had it for about 12 years.  On another topic, I also have some old neon yellow uranium tubing that was made by Corning.  When installed in a Neon light, it glows green, without any UV rays.  If you go to www.vaselineglass.org, the VGCI logo at the top of the page is a neon light our club made with corning uranium tubing.

Mr. Vaseline Glass

Mod: Web address corrected.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Lustrousstone on December 02, 2010, 07:05:32 AM
Welcome. I've enjoyed your club's website many times.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: David E on December 02, 2010, 09:12:20 AM
Welcome to the GMB and we all look forward to further contributions from Japan!

Congratulations on the site - most informative  :hiclp:
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on December 03, 2010, 01:31:33 AM
The neat part....It was made by Corning.  On the rim, it says CORNING MONEX, and a U.S. Pat. date of 12-9-13....

It might just have been made in Scotland, for Corning. Although I have no evidence that they did produce uranium glass. Are you sure it is Monex not Monax? Moncrieff and Corning had some legal battles as both were making near identical 'pyrex' ended up with Moncrieff making for Corning in US as part of the solution deal. Moncrieff had no interest in domestic products and allowed Corning to license Pyrex production in the UK. Corning were also allowed to use Monax a Moncrieff trademark in restricted markets. Unfortunately no detailed records of the deals.
Title: Re: vaseline glass production in Japan
Post by: JUGCC on December 03, 2010, 11:35:17 AM
Welcome, it would be nice to hear about vaseline glass production in Japan.

I (Ritsuo) is a manager of the Japan Uranium Glass Collectors Club.

I am glad that you are interested in vaseline glass production in Japan.
Several years ago, the Vaseline glass Museum opened in Japan.
I guess this is the only one museum in the world, which exhibits vaseline glass only.
Its formal name is the Fairlywood Glass Museum.
(Uranium reminds the atomic bomb for most Japanese, and they do not use
the name of Uranium glass museum.)
They are not only showing vaseline glasses, but also they are producing new
vaseline glass using the uranium mine near the Museum.
You can buy them in the museum shop.
  http://kanko.town.kagamino.lg.jp/fairywood%20english%20ver/

Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: JUGCC on December 03, 2010, 12:00:46 PM

>>all the streetcar lights I have seen, it is the reflector along the back surface that is made from uranium glass

Recently, I knew that US street cars were using this type of head-light.

>>The lens in the middle works and in bright sunlight, you can concentrate the sun enough to start a fire

This is very interesting story.
Why did they need to use vasleine glass for lense? (clear one might be more effective?)
I could not find the article of CORNING MONEX on the web.

Ritsuo (Japan Uranium Glass Collectors Club)
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: mrvaselineglass on December 03, 2010, 12:49:03 PM
Frank
It clearly says MONEX.
The embossed rim says:
CORNING MONEX REG U.S. PAT. OFF  MADE IN U.S.A.   10" D X 2 F . I. D.  P A T 12 - 9 - 13

THE 10" D X 2 F I.D. most likely refers to 10 inch inside diameter.

I have never found any information on it either, but have never tried doing a patent search either.

I have no idea why it was made.  my speculation was is that it was a caution lens for alongside the railroad tracks, not necessarily a lens for a train or trolley.  The United States used lights on the side of the track to let the engineer know if it was safe to proceed.  However, this purpose is also a speculation. 

Dave (Mr. Vaseline Glass)
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: Frank on December 03, 2010, 01:02:13 PM
  If you go to www.vaselineglass.com, the VGCI logo at the top of the page is a neon light our club made with corning uranium tubing.

 :o I think you meant www.vaselineglass.org, perhaps a moderator  :srn: can fix your post. .com is a site run by a different Dave  8)
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: mrvaselineglass on December 03, 2010, 01:04:56 PM
Frank
you are absolutely right.  Heck, I am the WEBMASTER for that site!  I must have been pretty tired when I wrote that post.  
it is www.vaselineglass.org, not vaselineglass.com

Dave
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: JUGCC on December 06, 2010, 01:12:28 AM

>>it says CORNING MONEX

I (Ritsuo) am a manager of JUGCC(Japan Uranium Glass Collectors Club).
One of our club member owns a similar lense, and he says this is a part of a signal lamp (PL: Position Lamp) of US railways.
It can forcus the light to a long distance by its lense.
I could find similar explanation as follows:
>http://www.railroadsignals.us/signals/pl/pl.htm
>1915 - Dr. William Churchill of Corning Glass developed a pale yellow "fog-penetrating" glass, which the PRR then used in their PL signals.
Title: Re: Uranium glass headlights!
Post by: mrvaselineglass on December 06, 2010, 04:53:58 AM
Thank you!
I always figured my lens was for the railroad, but did not know if it was for a signal, or on the train itself.  I now have proof! 

Dave Peterson