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ca. 1906 OFFICERS BRASS FLASHLIGHT – “BEACON ARMY
LIGHT” - BELT MOUNTED w/ EAGLE SNAP CLOSURE – EXCELLENT
CONDITION: Manufactured by the Beacon Electric
Works, a subsidiary of the National Carbon Company of
New York City, this early brass flashlight was marketed
under the name “BEACON ARMY LIGHT” and was certainly
intended to appeal to the U.S. Army officers of the day
who purchased their own personal equipment. To further
the attraction to the officers, the flashlight - which
was equipped with a pebbled surface leather strap for
mounting the light on a belt – was fitted with the same
rimmed “eagle snap” closure that was currently in use on
the various Mills pocketed cartridge belts of the era.
The date of manufacture of this flashlight
can be estimated with fairly close certainty. The use
of the eagle snap closure indicates it was offered no
earlier than 1902 and probably no later than 1916, and
the history of the manufacturer provides additional
information.
The National Carbon Company was
founded in
1886
by the then
Brush Electric Company
executive W. H. Lawrence (later involved in founding
General Electric) and
introduced the first
D
cell battery in 1898.
By 1906 the National Carbon Company
had acquired more than 20 carbon
and battery companies,
to include interests in
Conrad Hubert's
American Electrical Novelty & Manufacturing Company
(maker of Ever Ready
flashlights and
batteries) and the
Beacon Electric Works. In 1917 Union Carbide acquired
the National Carbon Company and its subsidiaries and the
name change occurred, hence this particular flashlight
was made before that acquisition.
Measuring 4” long, 2 ˝” wide, and
1” thick with a 1 ˝” diameter lens, the body of this
flashlight was made entirely of brass, making a durable
unit for use by an officer in the field. The lens and
bulb are present and fully intact, and the lens is clear
and undamaged. The on/off switch is present and
functional and all of the internal parts are present and
in excellent condition. There are some minor spots of
surface pitting on the surface of the battery
compartment, but they do not detract appreciably from
the appearance of the flashlight. The pebbled leather
belt loop is fully intact, supple and the eagle snap
closure is intact and functions properly.
Not the sort of item to have survived in large numbers,
particularly if they experienced any significant use in
the field, these early flashlights are very collectable
and are quite difficult to find. This piece is in
excellent condition and would make a very attractive
addition to display on your early Mills eagle snap
pistol belt.
SOLD
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