C.N.R. Piper Railroad Double Fresnel Switch Lantern For Sale

A kerosene Railway Switch Lantern probably belonging to the \"Canadian Pacific Railway\" 15.5” high by 9.5” wide with a cast iron bottom, two glass optics - Fresnel lenses (blue & orange) that are 5.5” in diameter, made of stepped glass (see photo) which, I assume, (having read up on “Fresnel Lens”) focuses the light into a concentrated beam and were often made by Corning Glass.

The sliding door that one would access the kerosene burner (I think the railroad folks call this a “fount”) is marked (embossed) “PIPER” & MONTREAL” and above that is “PATENTED” and maybe “00-1?-20”. On the top of the umbrella type vent on top is embossed “HLP” with an “M” under it (see photo) which, of course refers to Hiram L. Piper Company LTD of Montreal which was formed in 1902. This top vent is hinged & functions fine.

H. Piper & Company,1833 to 1870, Hiram Piper died in 1870 and his son, Noah, renamed the company Noah L. Piper and Son, which was from 1870 to 1902. Noah had two sons in the business, Edward Spencer Piper, and Hiram L. Piper. In 1902 Hiram L. Piper split off and formed Hiram L. Piper Company.And at the same time in 1902, Noah L. and Son became N.L. Piper Railway Supply Co.,Limited which went out of business in 1934.

The original black paint is chipped in areas but there’s no appreciable rust anywhere but some surface rust on the door lip that you would raise the door with. The ‘fount’ or burner is missing to time and appears to be the kind that one would push into the lantern via tracks. While there are some minor scuffs to the lenses I can see no cracks or dings.