Steel Side Light Question

[Mark Osterman]

Anyone know something about these all black (steel) Brown style 110 side lights. I see all brass and black with brass trim but not all black.

[Rich Eagle]

I assume those were the last of the square lamps. Phasing the brass out gradually to none at all seems logical to me.

[TWrenn]

In the first pic, the bright spot on the lower chimney sure looks brassy to me. Did you try a magnet on it? Some of these were painted all black, often by Amish, and they made their way back into circulation.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Those actually may not be the "last" of the square oil side lamps for model Ts. The "last" ones had the firewall mounting bracket riveted onto the lamp body. The riveted square lamps were apparently used in the final months of calendar 1914 and through April of 1915 on the late-build 1914 style cars that Ford continued producing while working out problems with the new 1915 style cars. It is possible that the late lamps like yours may have also been used until the end? Ford did not keep accurate records on all the subtleties of the changes during those several months!

[Mark Osterman]

I haven’t tested with a magnet small enough to get into that section of the chimney.

[ModelT46]

Steel top JB side and tail lights are common. I have several. Have not checked to see if any of the fonts were all steel.

[Mark Osterman]

I’ve mostly seen all brass lamps or steel lamps with brass chimney tops. So what year are these?

[Drkbp]

Mark,

Your John Brown 110's have the red jewels on the back panel of the lamp.
Those style lamps seem to have been used on the 1913 Models and
earlier 1914 style cars. The old photos indicate that is what happened and I
have a set on my car.

The progression appears to have been:
1) jeweled, 2) plain back panel (no jewel), both spade mounted,
and the last was the integral mount Wayne noted. The integral mount
required the side lamp mounting holes to be lined up vertically on the firewall.

As a practical matter, when I drive with them lit, I can't see the jewel from
the driver seat and the red jewels aren't visible from behind the car. Hardly visible
even from just outside the car and may be the reason they were dropped during
calendar 1914, who knows? Otherwise, the 110's are great for being "visible" to
other drivers.

Below is a photograph that was dated 12 June 1913. The black "dot"
in the rear of the reflector is the hole in the silvered panel to light the red jewel.
The car has jeweled John Brown 110's like you show above