Exceedingly rare and very ornate early battery Novelty Light, the only one known of its kind! Price, $1,450.
Another necessary invention had to be made to make the portable light practical; the dry-cell battery. French inventor Georges Lionel Leclanche invented the Zinc-Carbon dry cell BATTERY and protected his invention with US Patent no. 64,113 which issued on April 23, 1867.
Several improvements were necessary to get to the point were Zinc-Carbon dry-cell batteries were save to use in portable lights, the last one was German inventor Carl Gassner´s patent no 373,064, issued on November 15, 1887. Gassner´s patent date was printed on Ever Ready´s Statue of Liberty Novelty Light as pictured in Ever Ready´s catalog of the year 1900 and shown in the picture to the left. To read the patent date, please click on the picture to download a larger image; the patent date is in small letters between the base of the statue and the battery box below. There is a second patent date, the date Feb 18, 1879, which I was unable to find.
Conrad Hubert 1856 - 1928, founder of EveReady, used "Ever Ready" as his brand name for his Novelty Lights starting in his first catalog he issued in 1898. The high quality 23 page catalog showed seven Novelty Lights manufactured by "The American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Co.," some were offered in more then one size. David Misell became Conrad Hubert´s partner and together they did business under the name, The American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Co. which later on became the EveReady Co.
The Light offered here was not in Hubert´s first catalog and its origin is a mystery. In Otley´s book on page 53 is an image of a light which has the very same lower silver plated stand and handle, but the actual candle holder is rather plain and not as decorated as the one offered here. The one on page 53, image 2-69, is attributed to Reliable due to its rounded edges on the side of the case with straight front and back. The one offered here clearly has the beveled edges all around the case and the typical switch as you would find on an EveReady light. If the reader has a copy of the very well researched and written book, "FLASHLIGHTS, With Rarity & Value Guide, Early Flashlight Makers & the 1st 100 Years of EVEREADY, by Bill T. Utley," please compare the pictures with the light pictured on page 53 in his book and leave a comment expressing your opinion!
This one of a kind Novelty Light is the most ornate Novelty Light I have seen, and everything I have seen in books does not even come close!
To the best of my knowledge, the light offered here, is, as of now, the only extant example of this Novelty Light.
Condition:
Considering the delicate nature of the casting and the fragile milk glass candlestick, it is remarkable that it is still in one piece. I can´t find any damage or repairs and this light is in perfect condition! The silver plating is dull and oxidized as you would expect after over 100 years.
Inventory #09165
Price: $ 1,450.00