Just a guess, late 1940s?
Not worth a lot in that condition. They show up with good chrome and chip free glass.
Not worth a lot in that condition. They show up with good chrome and chip free glass.
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"BEEHIVE" / "JELLYJAR" Light Thread
- Thread starter dmathieu
- Start date
Beautiful Federal Sign And Signal BR-1 coming into my "Beehive" sub-collection!
Nice barricade light. I've only seen pictures of them. Has to be post-1959 are thereabouts since it came from their Blue Island plant.
How do you find 'em in such good shape, Dan?
I lucked out when I bought that Lectric-Lites magnetic beehive light through this board. The original owners of L-L were from Lubbock and had a small barricade shop themselves for which they manufactured the big amber lollipop-style barricade lights. Then they got the proverbial "wild hair" and branched out into other lights, including the Ranger strobe bar and others. They eventually moved to Ft. Worth and began building other light bars and the lollipop lights commonly seen on older ambulances and fire equipment.
In 1970 when they were still in Lubbock I stopped by to visit one day and spotted one of the magnetic beehives. It turned out to be the prototype of the one I now have; and they actually gave me that original light. My REACT C.B. organization had begun working first aid for the local car races and had been given the track's old ambulance in the summer of 1970 after the huge tornado that had hit Lubbock on May 11. The old Chevy wagon you would've laughed at, but we built it into a decent functioning (and actually state-licensed) ambulance. A good friend was a cop at Texas Tech and drove a big red '69 Ford wagon. We pressed it into service as our backup ambulance, employing that beehive light, a set of grille lights and an underhood siren. It's funny how you could make-do back then.
My only other Lectric-Lites collectable I now have is an original Trooper Siren, one of only a few that were built in Ft.Worth. It resembled and sounded somewhat like an original Federal Director.
How do you find 'em in such good shape, Dan?
I lucked out when I bought that Lectric-Lites magnetic beehive light through this board. The original owners of L-L were from Lubbock and had a small barricade shop themselves for which they manufactured the big amber lollipop-style barricade lights. Then they got the proverbial "wild hair" and branched out into other lights, including the Ranger strobe bar and others. They eventually moved to Ft. Worth and began building other light bars and the lollipop lights commonly seen on older ambulances and fire equipment.
In 1970 when they were still in Lubbock I stopped by to visit one day and spotted one of the magnetic beehives. It turned out to be the prototype of the one I now have; and they actually gave me that original light. My REACT C.B. organization had begun working first aid for the local car races and had been given the track's old ambulance in the summer of 1970 after the huge tornado that had hit Lubbock on May 11. The old Chevy wagon you would've laughed at, but we built it into a decent functioning (and actually state-licensed) ambulance. A good friend was a cop at Texas Tech and drove a big red '69 Ford wagon. We pressed it into service as our backup ambulance, employing that beehive light, a set of grille lights and an underhood siren. It's funny how you could make-do back then.
My only other Lectric-Lites collectable I now have is an original Trooper Siren, one of only a few that were built in Ft.Worth. It resembled and sounded somewhat like an original Federal Director.
I ran across this thread while trying to find info on this style light. I haven't seen many fire vehicles using one of these as a beacon, but found this photo of a US Forest Service fire engine from the Mendocino National Forest with that set up. 1956 Chevrolet 4400, photo caption says Lucerne, CA 4th of July Parade 1959.
It doesn't seem like much of a warning light, but based on Codeman's comments and the fact Lake County only had around 12,000 residents in the 1950s I guess it was probably adequate (around 60,000 residents today and still quite rural).
I am curious when California started requiring a steady burning red light to the front. A single flashing light obviously wouldn't have met the requirement, so curious if that requirement came later than the date of this photo or if it was just a case of nobody cared that much about it back then.
It doesn't seem like much of a warning light, but based on Codeman's comments and the fact Lake County only had around 12,000 residents in the 1950s I guess it was probably adequate (around 60,000 residents today and still quite rural).
I am curious when California started requiring a steady burning red light to the front. A single flashing light obviously wouldn't have met the requirement, so curious if that requirement came later than the date of this photo or if it was just a case of nobody cared that much about it back then.
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Since the U.S. Forest Service is a federal agency, would they have been required to follow California's emergency warning light codes?
If they wanted to be recognized as an emergency vehicle under the California Vehicle Code, they would have had to meet the requirements. To the original question, the steady burn red light requirement goes way back, much earlier than the 50's. A common misconception is that a flashing amber to the rear is also required; it is not and never has been required under the CVC.
Today we definitely follow state laws regarding... well just about everything. In the 1950s things were probably quite a bit looser, particularly out on the forest in a rural county where the CHP was probably never seen. I know the engines on the Southern California forests from the same time period had considerably more warning equipment on their engines.
As far as when the steady burning red became law, I was curious mostly because I understand the LA County "platter" lights were supposedly in response to the steady burning red issue, and I thought those came about in the 1960s. The Southern California USFS engines started sporting similar platter set ups around 1965-66. Photos from the Mendocino show can lights on their engines beginning in the mid 1960s so I thought the law might have gone into effect in the 1960s. Very hard to pin down the when and why. I've heard many theories including one that it was the result of a lawsuit (driver didn't see the red light because it was between flashes :crazy: )
As far as when the steady burning red became law, I was curious mostly because I understand the LA County "platter" lights were supposedly in response to the steady burning red issue, and I thought those came about in the 1960s. The Southern California USFS engines started sporting similar platter set ups around 1965-66. Photos from the Mendocino show can lights on their engines beginning in the mid 1960s so I thought the law might have gone into effect in the 1960s. Very hard to pin down the when and why. I've heard many theories including one that it was the result of a lawsuit (driver didn't see the red light because it was between flashes :crazy: )
Dan,
I got a NOS red lens in the box for this light if you'd like it... maybe swap you for one of those nifty Griffin ambers?
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Here's a new addition to my "Beehive" light collection.
A beautiful undamaged rare Carpenter Light, Model RAD, and a picture of my, now 4, Carpenter lights.
View attachment 147392
View attachment 147398
View attachment 147963
A beautiful undamaged rare Carpenter Light, Model RAD, and a picture of my, now 4, Carpenter lights.
View attachment 147392
View attachment 147398
View attachment 147963
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Another new addition:
Griffin 360 very vintage, very rare, single fluted (no ribs on the inside, ribs outside only) cobalt blue glass lens. The lens isn't perfect, but I've been looking for this blue single fluted for a long time.
Griffin 360 very vintage, very rare, single fluted (no ribs on the inside, ribs outside only) cobalt blue glass lens. The lens isn't perfect, but I've been looking for this blue single fluted for a long time.
Nice find, as usual Dan. Have you ever run across the single-faced Carpenter lights like the one shown at the top of your Carpenter ad? They were inexpensive lights with a 50 cp. bulb, and were there competition to Federal's FS3 lights. When our REACT team started working the car races as a first-aid team and eventually given the track's old '60 Chevy wagon ambulance, we acquired a pair of the red Carpenter lights from a private ambulance co. in Hobbs, NM that had shut down. The old wagon had come with just a single low-skirted red Federal 17 beacon....period. No siren or other lights. I had gotten an old Mars DL8 light from a funeral home that had ceased its ambulance service. It was a 6-volt light with a 50 c.p. bulb. We replaced it with a 12-volt 1019 bulb from a Jr. Beacon I had that would light up but not rotate. We were concerned about running the 6-volt motor off 12-volts, but we ran that old light for several years w/o hurting it. Its oscillation sped up considerably, but never damaged the light, was it ever bright! So when the old wagon became ours, we moved the 17 beacon slightly to the back of where it had sat and put the Mars light in its place and the two red Carpenter lights on the front corners. We were given a pair of red 6" Unity lights which went on the bumper. And we put a Federal 77GB doubletone siren on the rt. fender. An alternating flasher was hooked to the four flashing lights in a manner that gave a criss-cross pattern with the left roof light flashing with the right bumper light and vice-versa. It looked very nice, but all the lights were red. One of our members bought some ribbed blue plexiglass. We pulled one of the red lenses from one of the Carpenter lights and took it with the blue plexiglass to a plastics manufacturer, and using one of the red lenses as a pattern, they made two blue lenses, which went on the Carpenter lights. With the ribbing on the two blue lenses, it made those lights look twice the size that they were and you could really see them, especially at night. We retired the old wagon c.1972 after we got our 1963 Pontiac Consort ambulance, which I had acquired from Summers Coach in Duncanville, TX. The Consort came with twin red 17s on top, and it had been my intention to put the two Blue Carnperters up next to the two beacons, but they disappeared and I haven't seen them since. In late '72 the REACT team fell apart and I had the whole thing dumped in my lap. So from then until I shut things down in 1991, I ran a standby ambulance service for sporting events in and around Lubbock....even going as far as Dallas at one time for a week-long motorcycle racing event. I stayed out of the ambulance business for a good long while and started another standby service here in Midland in 2002; but in 2004 I had a serious heart attack and underwent 5 bypasses. That will be 11 years this month. After I recovered from the surgery I went right back to work with the standby service but shut 'er down in '05 after our primary race track shut its doors. I felt that that was the proverbial "writing on the wall" and time to take rest. I would think that there are still some of those Carpenter lights out there somewhere, Dan. They were almost as common in the earlier days as were the DoRay lollipops in this part of the country.
NOS, NIB Yankee 342 red, with switch, flasher, and NOS amber and blue lenses.
This light is unique, in that the lenses are specific to this light, and will not fit other "beehive" type lights. MOST others are universal fit, and can be interchanged.
This light is unique, in that the lenses are specific to this light, and will not fit other "beehive" type lights. MOST others are universal fit, and can be interchanged.
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Looks like Lectric-Lites magnetic beehive light is in that other 10%, Dan. It has an internal flasher!
I agree with you on that. But I'm sure the reason that mine is external is because it's a magnetic mount. I don't think I've seen any BR2s, etc., with internal flashers.
Even though proper place to post would be the Other/Off-Site, I think since there is a dedicated thread for these, I will share here for all that like/follow:
(1) Pair $40
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100835175713330&set=pcb.908164495966083&type=3&permPage=1
(1) Pair $40
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100835175713330&set=pcb.908164495966083&type=3&permPage=1
Dmathieu, I thought about you today. Saw this in an antique store. I never even knew "Jelly Jar" or "Bee Hive" until I read this thread. Now even my wife will point one out.
This very well could be from a commercial boat. Boats operating at night are to show a red light on the port side, green light on the starboard side and a white light aft and often a white light attached to the top of a mast. When a vessel is in open water, but no one is in the wheelhouse, a red light on the mast can be displayed. Watching the show "Deadliest Catch" is finally paying off!
That looks like an obstruction light from the top of a radio tower. A clear strobe is used during daylight hours, and a red halogen lamp is used after dark.
Having no one at the wheelhouse while underway is something that should never ever happen.
That said, the white all-around light at top of the mast is correct. Non-trawling vessels must display an all-round red light above the white one at night. This combo would fit the bill.
That said, the white all-around light at top of the mast is correct. Non-trawling vessels must display an all-round red light above the white one at night. This combo would fit the bill.
I rarely come across "Beehive" type lights when i'm out and about.
But I do have a few, Mostly 120V ones and one 12V one.
Dietz 7-720 Strobe, Single Flash May 20 1986 stamped on the base.
Before I had this mounted there was no signs it was ever mounted. So it's Possible this is NOS out of box.
Lintern Corp, Ohio "Glow" Lights
I have two, one red, one green 120V
Unrestored Red
Restored Green 120V
Benjamin Elect Mfg Co.
120V Incandescent That blinks.
But I do have a few, Mostly 120V ones and one 12V one.
Dietz 7-720 Strobe, Single Flash May 20 1986 stamped on the base.
Before I had this mounted there was no signs it was ever mounted. So it's Possible this is NOS out of box.
Lintern Corp, Ohio "Glow" Lights
I have two, one red, one green 120V
Unrestored Red
Restored Green 120V
Benjamin Elect Mfg Co.
120V Incandescent That blinks.
OK Gentlemen (and ladies),
After a phone call, I found out that one of my vendors still offers BEEHIVE lenses in GLASS in every color INCLUDING GREEN, and some split colors for right around $32. I'd have to pay for shipping, obviously and he stated I get a small price break at quantity 10 and multiples, thereafter. I forgot to ask how much but I'm sure it can't be alot. According to what I've seen, these will be the more contemporary versions of what we normally see, with the double-fluted inner and outer fresnelling and I can't verify the depth of the colors other than I know the red is a true red and the blue is a cobalt color versus, say, a Federal Signal blue. Clear will be clear, amber will be amber and again, I haven't seen the green so I have no idea... He didn't mention it and I didn't see any purple or magenta so let's say there are none available, for now, unless I hear otherwise.
I and two others want green, one guy wants two red and 1 blue. I just might get a clear also but I'll wait to see who else would want one in case I need an extra to reach 10, total.
If anyone wants in on this order, feel free to drop me a note or PM me. I'll leave this up here for a week or two or however long it takes to get an initial order of at least 10 put-together to see what they look like. They are made here in the states and I'm not positive, but they may be NOS, I'm not entirely sure. If I get a good response, I'll keep this here for anyone who may want one. I'm not selling what I have here as I have NONE right now, I'm simply posting this to see what kind of interest there is out there in order to know who would want in on a blanket order so please don't beat me up with all the rules and what-not. If I get a good response I'll place an order and we can figure-out the details or if the response is big enough, I'll put a standing post in the "for-sale-vintage" section sometime later.
Let me know!
After a phone call, I found out that one of my vendors still offers BEEHIVE lenses in GLASS in every color INCLUDING GREEN, and some split colors for right around $32. I'd have to pay for shipping, obviously and he stated I get a small price break at quantity 10 and multiples, thereafter. I forgot to ask how much but I'm sure it can't be alot. According to what I've seen, these will be the more contemporary versions of what we normally see, with the double-fluted inner and outer fresnelling and I can't verify the depth of the colors other than I know the red is a true red and the blue is a cobalt color versus, say, a Federal Signal blue. Clear will be clear, amber will be amber and again, I haven't seen the green so I have no idea... He didn't mention it and I didn't see any purple or magenta so let's say there are none available, for now, unless I hear otherwise.
I and two others want green, one guy wants two red and 1 blue. I just might get a clear also but I'll wait to see who else would want one in case I need an extra to reach 10, total.
If anyone wants in on this order, feel free to drop me a note or PM me. I'll leave this up here for a week or two or however long it takes to get an initial order of at least 10 put-together to see what they look like. They are made here in the states and I'm not positive, but they may be NOS, I'm not entirely sure. If I get a good response, I'll keep this here for anyone who may want one. I'm not selling what I have here as I have NONE right now, I'm simply posting this to see what kind of interest there is out there in order to know who would want in on a blanket order so please don't beat me up with all the rules and what-not. If I get a good response I'll place an order and we can figure-out the details or if the response is big enough, I'll put a standing post in the "for-sale-vintage" section sometime later.
Let me know!
Last call, folks. Placing my order today...anyone else want green glass? Or any other color for that matter... split colors?