YANKEE American Auto lamp Co.TAIL LIGHT dome cover thing....?

[sandtrooper]

I got some of these YANKEE metal cages and only one has a red glass insert (can't find it at this moment).

What might be there purpose in general....and what era?

...and why would the insert glass be red if the small faceted end lens is red as well?

I would think the insert should be clear or white glass.

Thanks.

[1936 D2]

Here is a wild guess... An attachment to turn a bicycle head light into a bicycle tail light? Maybe even fits over a flashlight?

[DE SOTO]

Those are PART of the YANKEE runningboard lights common in the Teens & Twentys ... That is only part of a complete light assy.

They came with GREEN or RED lenses for PORT & STARBOARD like Nautical & mounted accordingly on the running boards.

I may have a pic of one but will need to dig the light out if no one else posts one

[sandtrooper]

thanks DeSoto...okay...i'll be searching as well using important keywords you have provided

[1936 D2]

Here is a wild guess... An attachment to turn a bicycle head light into a bicycle tail light? Maybe even fits over a flashlight?

Whoops. Pretty far off on that guess!!! :eek:

[sandtrooper]

Those are PART of the YANKEE runningboard lights common in the Teens & Twentys ... That is only part of a complete light assy.

They came with GREEN or RED lenses for PORT & STARBOARD like Nautical & mounted accordingly on the running boards.

I may have a pic of one but will need to dig the light out if no one else posts one

I could not find one instance of such a running board light save one entry from AACA forums of a party wanting one. I'm thinking you mean 'running board' as in 'automobile'. What do I tell my friend who states that red and green (port n starboard) lights were not used in an automotive lighting systems. I even mentioned that a Model T old tail light had a 'port and starboard' jewel lenses on sides and again was told 'not so'

[DE SOTO]

People can Say whatever they want And say i am Incorrect, Maybe my termonalogy is not 100% but that what they are.

They would mount them on the Running Board of Automobiles in the Teens & Twentys ... mostly seen on Large Expensive cars.. They are accessory Lights Not Stock.

I know a guy with them on a '24ish Lincoln that has not been touched & is an Original Local vehicle to the Small Valley town I live in.

Was owned by Pop Soper, An Old Boxing instructor who worked out of Wheelers Hot Springs from about the 1930's till he died.

I had a pair of these lights, One Red & One Green ... I traded the Green for another red & modified them into Tail Lights for a Hot Rod.

Maybe me saying I am going to use them on a Hot Rod will bring out a Stocker type to Set me straight.

Did the "NOT SO" Crowd offer another use for them or just discredit what I had to say ?

Also, If you look in BUY/SELL here on the AACA .. Type in YANKEE running board light & a post sent in on April 26 2000 there is a man Looking for exactlly what I explained.

Edited August 12, 2012 by DE SOTO (see edit history)

[sandtrooper]

People can Say whatever they want And say i am Incorrect, Maybe my termonalogy is not 100% but that what they are.

They would mount them on the Running Board of Automobiles in the Teens & Twentys ... mostly seen on Large Expensive cars.. They are accessory Lights Not Stock.

I know a guy with them on a '24ish Lincoln that has not been touched & is an Original Local vehicle to the Small Valley town I live in.

Was owned by Pop Soper, An Old Boxing instructor who worked out of Wheelers Hot Springs from about the 1930's till he died.

I had a pair of these lights, One Red & One Green ... I traded the Green for another red & modified them into Tail Lights for a Hot Rod.

Maybe me saying I am going to use them on a Hot Rod will bring out a Stocker type to Set me straight.

Did the "NOT SO" Crowd offer another use for them or just discredit what I had to say ?

Also, If you look in BUY/SELL here on the AACA .. Type in YANKEE running board light & a post sent in on April 26 2000 there is a man Looking for exactlly what I explained.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]149373[/ATTACH]

I don't think anyone was 'discredited', especially not you. I was just looking for more proof I guess which makes me the bum. Thanks for adding the photos of the 2 lamp covers. I did see the AACA post from 2000 and followed up but his email is not in service anymore. And like you said at first, my lamps are very incomplete. I was hoping to see one on a running board in a picture. But I am going to run with what I got so far. Thanks again, you are a champ and are generous as well to take the time to help me out.

[MaritimeSeattle]

DE SOTO and sandtrouper and 1936 D2 and

Here are some pictures of a complete set of the red and green running lights you were discussing from Yankee American Auto Lamp Company Inc in New York NY.

I hope to clean them up and sell this set, so I was researching them on the Internet, when I found your discussion from July 26, 2012 on Antique Auto Club of America.

Thank you for sharing. Our family business dealt with maritime equipment in the Pacific Northwest and I imagine that this particular set of running lights were mounted on some Northwest yacht.

[nzcarnerd]

Can't find a better pic at the moment but Mark Huston's 1929 Studebaker President has a set of those lamps on it. Maybe a recent addition?

 

[MaritimeSeattle]

Why would a car have a set of lamps, one red and one green, on it? I figured these were made for boats by the auto lamp company. Wiped them off a bit  😄

[41 Su8]

Some early cars had these fastened to the running boards. Red was on the left and green was on the right.  A carryover from port and starboard on boats.

[Guest]

Where are those lamps in the attached photo?

[Guest]

Is it between the two step plates???

[28 Chrysler]

Marine lighting  has specific angles to make it easy to tell what direction  another boat is traveling. The port and starboard lights are 112.5° from the bow and cannot be seen from beyond that.

[afs147]

Wow! What an interesting long running thread. Thanks for all the info. I have a pair of these that appear to have never been used in almost new condition. Found in my late father’s basement. If anyone would like to buy them, please contact me.