13.5" x 7.75"
Steel with Enamel Paint & Glass
USA

There is a building in the West Village of New York City with the name Dietz on it. Founded in 1840 by a 22-year-old Robert E. Dietz, the laterns were made in this building near KIOSK until the 1950s. However, even then, costs were going up and manufacturers had to work hard to keep them down, so the Dietz factory shipped all their machinery to China, where they have been making their lanterns ever since. A little sad, how does an object differ when made far from its country of origin? I'd like to know how this lantern changed. The original tooling for the model #8 is from 1938. In the past, before everyone transitioned to flashlights, it was standard for most homes to have a lantern in the closet in case of a hurricane. Unless there is a blackout (possible) and our flashlight is out of batteries (also possible) we have little practical use for the Dietz. However, taking it up on our roof on a summer night, sitting around, playing cards, and having some drinks is a lot like being in another world. It's soft and peaceful, no generators, no sound, no harsh light, it's - for lack of a better word - simply really NICE. The lantern's all ready to go, just add kerosene, will burn for 27 hours, cost is approximately six cents an hour. I have to say, I just want to hug this thing.