Why blackout light cover on T headlamp?

[Vintman]

Hi Folks, saw this photo recently and wondered what the purpose of the headlight cover was. In UK we had them during world war 2 but this photo is apparently Topanga 1915??

 

Regards

Vintman UK

www.svvs.org

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Vintman (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

The license plate appears to be a California USA plate for 1916. The car appears to be a 1915 runabout. That style of license plate was used in 1916 through 1919, by changing the metal tab in the upper right (viewer's left!) corner (under the headlamp). Tabs were a walking bear, a California Golden Poppy, a bell, and for 1919 a star.

Difficult to speculate on why the odd shades on the headlamps. Japan wasn't really in that war, however, many Californians were worried about Japan's interests, and there were a few scares of Japanese ships off the coast. So the idea of blackout headlamps is not without some merit. The US wasn't even in the war yet in 1916, although a lot of Americans thought we should have been.

I rarely ever see such shades or blackout headlamps in era photos on American automobiles during that war. However it has been recorded that a few coastal towns did encourage the idea. 

So I really can't say that it is what that is? But it may be?

[Mark Gregush]

The early electric lights just had a clear glass lens with no way to dim (LOL) the light. Up to when Ford started supplying the H style ribbed lens with high low brightness. Even Ford tried a flat glass lens with the upper part painted to help reduce glare for oncoming drivers.  

 

This is one type;

Model T Ford Forum: ACCESSORY OF THE DAY 12/21/09 MACBETH EYEBROW HEADLIGHT LENS SET (mtfca.com)