1913-14 Ford Cowl Lamp Manufacturers Percentage Installed

[George House]

or you might label my post ‘Curiosity Got The Cat’. As may be seen by my recent requests on the Classifieds, my recent project is rounding up my 1913-14 Ford cowl lamps and matching fonts, burners to lamps. Although I have specimens of all four known US suppliers
(E&J, Jno Brown, Victor and Corcoran) in my collection; I’m just curious as to the percentage of each brand lamps that was actually installed back in the day. For instance; most recognizable by me on tours for this vintage are E&J cowl lamps. I have a set of 3 Jno Brown on my ‘14 runabout and I’ve never seen any b/b Corcorans installed. Any similar assessments or research results ??

[Rich Eagle]

You probably have as good a guess as anyone after watching them as closely as you have. If I were to make a guess from what I see for sale on the internet I would guess 45% E&J, 35% Brown and 10% each Victor and Corcoran. That is about the percentage of parts of lamps I have also.
I doubt many would agree with any numbers but I can guess along with the rest.
Breaking it down to the different versions of each would really make it interesting. The lamps with the riveted on brackets seem to be pretty scarce.
Rich

[JTT3]

George & Rich, Ford lamps are something I have been really intrigued with for a long time. E&J was the only sidelights & tail lamps that did not support a Ford stamping or engraving on them. The headlamps for E&J also followed suit however I have seen (very very few) examples of their headlights with a Ford stamping though I cannot confirm that they were authentic nor find any documentation of them being mention.
I believe your assessment of percentages are probably in the right order plus or minus a few percent. 13 & 14 saw some real changes with all brands with the exception of Corcoran.
E&J started adding more vents in their chimney around 1912, in mid to late 13 there was a change in the panels dropping the red jewel, adding the integrated mount plus for a short time in 14 using the unique model 32 & 12 with the semi round oil font. I really haven’t paid much attention to the 1915-26/7 style lamps to even know if E&J made them.
Jno W. Brown had similar changes as E&J but more subtle.
Victor lamps are more intriguing to me because of the early 1913 lamps & headlamps. My early 13 had what most folks call the model 1 side lamps with the more substantial raise Ford cap and a cast bracket for the mount. I also have the unique”model 1” style headlamps with a pressed steel bonnet, unique brass door/bezel different more like the Corcoran style door but not exactly. Lastly my 13 also has the very cute & unique 13 tail lamp that Victor made. Later in 13 the model 2 style lamps & headlights appeared. Very similar to the Corcoran lamps & headlamps. It may be because, if I’m not mistaken, that is when the two companies merged though I can’t prove it. They also followed the rest of the brands by adding the integrated mounting bracket. I’m not sure how rare the integrated brackets are because I believe, my opinion, as people began to restore the survivors over the years they preferred the later style of separate mount and bracket. I see those with the integrated bracket all the time at swap meets but rarely see them being bought or installed on Ts correct for that time. Just my observation & opinions

[Drkbp]

The only lamp production figure I have run into was in an article in the May 21, 1914, issue of The Automobile.
In that article, the E&J company indicated that they "practically" produce 3,500 lamps per day at their Detroit
plant for Ford, enough for 700 cars. E&J seems to have had the largest share due to their location early on.

The E&J plant at 4421 Humbolt, Detroit, was only 4-1/2 miles from the Ford Motor Company on Mack Avenue
and 3 miles from the 461 Piquette location. Probably why they were able to supply Ford side and tail lamps
without the Ford logo, "off the shelf" and less than 5-miles away. John Brown was in Columbus, Ohio and the
Corcoran brother companies, Victor Lamps and Corcoran Lamps were in Cincinnati, Ohio.

John Brown Lamp and E&J must have been struggling to keep up with Ford in 1912. John Brown opened a new plant
in 1913 and E&J opened CLASCo., in then Walkerville, across the river in 1913.

May be why Thomas Corcoran, owner of Corcoran Lamp Company, and two of his brothers, W.J. Corcoran and
E.B. Corcoran, that owned Victor Lamp Company, were able to get some of the Ford business for 1913 models.
Corcorans merged in May of 1916.

[ModelT46]

I have always assumed the J Brown produced most of the 1913-14 lamps.I have perhaps 25 1913-14 side or tail lights and most are J Brown./ I have several pairs if each of the others including Victor number 1s. There is more variation in the J Brown lamps (steel tops,brass tops, red jewel or no jewel.) It in fun to seek out such lamps in the effort to make pairs or sets.

[George House]

Wonderful educational information guys ! I didn’t know the Corcoran bros owned Victor lamp company then merged. Thanks all !!

[George House]

Darel, might you have a mate cowl lamp ( left side) to this unusual E&J lamp. I say unusual because it’s brass below the square body and bottom of chimney. I’d either purchase one or trade a Victor #2 with integral mounting bracket.... many thanks, george

[Drkbp]

I am also primarily interested in the Ford Black & Brass 1913/14 lamps
and their variations. Would be neat to know what each manufacturer supplied.

Victor and Corcoran merged in 1916 to form Corcoran.
Corcoran, John Brown and Indiana Lamp Company merged in 1930 and were bought
by Electric-Auto-Lite in 1934.....AutoLite!

The Indiana Lamp Company also supplied some side lamps on early Model T's.
Don't know if they had a Ford logo on the cap.