Strange warning light-multi-faceted lens

[pint4]

This is an unusual light. Two lenses-one red and one clear. Extremely small-could it have been a turn signal? What car does it fit? Or could it be for a motorcycle? It is vry unique-uncovered after more than 60 years of storage.

Bob

[pint4]

This is a view of the other lens.

[D Binger]

What about marker lights for a boat?

[pint4]

The person I got it from says car or motorcycle. Would probably be a pre-war boar? Never saw one like it on any of the old wood boats I have seen. I thought it might recognizeable by the prism lens. Quite a nice lens. Looks to have an on/offswitch that rotates.

Quite interesting piece of history.

Bob

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

Why do u think it's a warning lite????? What is that little peg sticking out just above the base and the missing paint seems to pattern it?????

It resembles and is most likely a sidecar fender lite pre 1935. It would have have mounted at the TOP of the fender and many sidecars of the pre 35 era ran a similar lite of that size and dual lens. It's that small peg (switch???) that throws me.

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

The only problem with my sidecar lite theory is that the base is too flat to mount atop a crowned hack fender. Unless there was a thick rubber base which was common on m/c applications.

[TheMoneyPit]

Model T era accessory for the roadside fender as a parking lite so that it would be visible to oncoming traffic. The red was to the rear and it could be turned on and off as needed.

[pint4]

The small arm that is sticking out on the side of the light seems to work like a switch. It slides back and forth. That is why the unpaintedf surface doesn't have paint on it. It's a shiel that prevent dirt and moisture from getting inside the light fixture when the switch is moved back and forth. Is there a Model T catalog or accessory booklet that shows a light like this? I have never seen one.

Thanks.

Bob

[Peter J.Heizmann]

pint4...Highly recommend that you search the archives of the AACA Library & Research Center.

Within this page header, click on "Resources", "AACA Library".

Regards,

Peter J... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Terry Bond]

It is a marker light. There are a bunch of variations on these made in the late teens into the 20's. Many cities passed laws requiring that a parked car had to have such lights on them so they could be more easily seen. You didn't need to switch on the light until you parked for the evening. External switch was there so you could switch just that light on after exiting the vehicle. These were sold in auto accessory stores and thru catalogs. The AACA Library has quite a collection on early accessory catalogs and might have one with an ad for just this kind.

Terry