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Illuminated Covers Home > Prism Glass > Covers |
 Galleries: 1 of 4 |
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Up: Prism Glass |
Illuminated Covers Home > Prism Glass > Covers |
Galleries: 1 of 4 |
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In the days when coal was commonly used to heat houses, it was usually stored in basement bunkers. To fill the bunker, an access hole was provided on the grounds outside the house, into which the coal man would dump his dusty, dirty load. Coal being obviously flammable, and coal dust explosively so, bunker lighting was best provided with daylight, as the artificial lighting options of the times all meant an open flame. Cast iron coalhole covers were usually employed, often filled with glass lenses to provide some of that daylighting. Since the round covers could be placed back in any orientation, prismatic lenses such as used in vault lights (which throw light in a certain direction) were not used; instead, as with deck lights on ships, more general sorts of diffusing lenses were used to flood the area. Sizes shown below (in red) are the nominal overall diameter of the plate; actual sizes are usually 1/8" to ¼" smaller. The covers shown below are in my collection; many pictures of illuminated coalhole and manhole covers are in the in situ galleries; especially see New York. I have a duplicate of the Hayward's No. 1B cover; am looking to trade for a cover of similar quality that I don't already have.
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