Up for consideration is a fine vintage early 20th-century Perkins Marine Lamp Corp. "Perko Wonder Junior" Skater's Lantern. Compact and portable, skater's lanterns of this type were designed to be carried by hand or hung from a coat button for personal illumination on frozen lakes and nighttime ice skating outings.

• Manufacturer: Perkins Marine Lamp Corp. ("PERKO") — Brooklyn, New York, USA.

• Model: Wonder Junior Skater's Lantern.

• Period: Circa 1910s – 1930s.

• Materials: Sheet steel/tin burner frame & fount base; brass wick adjustment mechanism; glass globe; wire bail handle.

• Dimensions:

• Height (to top of cap/dome): 6.5 inches

• Height (to top of raised handle): 10.5 inches

• Base diameter: 3.25 inches

• Glass Globe: Features its original, clear blown/molded glass globe with heavy vertical ribbing and distinct crisp embossing reading "PERKO WONDER JUNIOR" across the upper rim. Free of major structural cracks or deep chips.

• Burner & Wick Mechanism: Fitted with the original brass thumb-wheel wick raiser marked "PERKINS MARINE LAMP CORP. N.Y." in crisp block lettering. The burner assembly detaches smoothly from the base via the original bayonet twist tabs. Includes a length of flat cotton wick.

Origin & Age

• Origin: Brooklyn, New York, United States

• Age: Early 20th Century (c. 1910–1935)

Condition Report

• Metalwork: Excellent vintage condition with an attractive, untouched dark olive-bronze aged patina across the steel base, burner chimney, and top dome. Shows age-appropriate light oxidation and minor surface wear without rust-through or major denting. The original wire bail handle remains sturdily attached to the top vent cap.

• Fount Base & Locking Tabs: The bayonet twist-lock base operates smoothly and secures tightly to the burner body.

• Glass: Clear and clean with light mold production lines and subtle air bubbles typical of early 20th-century glassware. No cracks or large chips observed.

Authenticity Assessment This piece displays all major key authenticity markers required by serious kerosene lighting collectors:

1. Globe Embossing: Crisp, raised-relief mold lettering "PERKO WONDER JUNIOR" directly on the upper section of the glass body.

2. Burner Marking: The thumb wheel bears the distinct circular stamping reading "PERKINS MARINE LAMP CORP. N.Y." in clean, sans-serif lettering surrounding the center rivet.

3. Construction Techniques: Period-accurate crimped rolled edges, punched circular smoke vents on the upper chimney dome, and correct bayonet twist-lock fount tabs without modern solder repairs, synthetic coatings, or reproduction screws.

Reference

• Book Title: Lanterns That Lit Our World: How to Identify, Date, and Restore Old Railroad, Marine, and Utility Lanterns

• Author: Anthony Hobson

• Reference Page / Note: See section covering American Marine & Miniature Utility Lighting (Perkins Marine Lamp & Hardware Corp. / PERKO catalog history, pp. 62–68).

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