Two questions for headlight experts regarding the Handlan-Buck headlight pictured in the photo:

1.The original glass lens pictured in this photo (ca.1905) has a series of vertical lines; can anyone tell me exactly what these were? Possibly the lens was actually made of several strips of glass approximately two inches wide?

2.The chimney (although actually an electric light) has lettering on the front. The lower, larger letters are "HANDLAN-BUCK". Does anyone know for certain what the upper line reads? Perhaps "MFD. BY", but would be nice to know for sure.

OR&N 197

orn197@teleport.com

I don't know about the Handlan-Buck lamps, but I have seen similar "lines" in the lenses of locomotive headlights in South and East Africa, and in India. They were metal wires in the glass that I believe were suppose to give the lens some protection against breakage.

> Two questions for headlight experts
> regarding the Handlan-Buck headlight
> pictured in the photo:

> 1.The original glass lens pictured in this
> photo (ca.1905) has a series of vertical
> lines; can anyone tell me exactly what these
> were? Possibly the lens was actually made of
> several strips of glass approximately two
> inches wide?

> 2.The chimney (although actually an electric
> light) has lettering on the front. The
> lower, larger letters are
> "HANDLAN-BUCK". Does anyone know
> for certain what the upper line reads?
> Perhaps "MFD. BY", but would be
> nice to know for sure.


kenneth.willis@marad.dot.gov