Looking for an NYC lantern.

Anybody know a dealer (NOT Ebay) who has any old NYC lanterns in decent shape for sale?. Looking for something original but not so rare that i wont want to ever touch or use it.

Anybody also have info on what lanterns the NYC used?

According to my inventory, I have three New York Central lanterns in my
collection. I am not saying that I would sell them but if I did, I would
have to ask for a pretty high price as laterns are worth some money
today. I paid $70.00 for a New Haven Railroad lantern over 15 years ago
and such items are worth more today.
Noel Weaver

Well forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but what would one expect to pay for a real NYC lantern in working order and in "decent" condition?

By decent i mean no cracks or damage. Normal wear is fine. I am not looking for something in "mint" condition by any means. I don't want something so nie or rare that i will not want to use it.

For what it's worth, I attend what is advertised as the "largest railway collectible show in the country". From what I have seen over the last two years, lantern prices have skyrocketed at collectors meets to the point where, by comparison, there are some genuine bargains to be had on Ebay. I would guess that for a standard, mass produced NYC lantern in decent shape, marked with the road name on either the globe or lantern itself, that you are looking at @ $120 + at a show. You probably will do better on Ebay, and better still from a non-railroad "flea market" if you can find one.

It has been many years since I was into collecting lanterns but NYC lanterns are (were) a drug on the market. I can't count how many times I used to go into an antique store and spy some old one in a corner. BR&P? NYO&W? Erie? Nope, always an NYC. I recall a friend who was on vacation in Florida and went to some bar with a rail theme. He asked the owner if he could look at an old lantern hanging from the ceiling. When the guy showed him - NYC!

My point is that unless things in that market have changed drastically, due to sheer numbers an NYC lantern should be at the lower end of the spectrum. Don't base what you pay on the "average" cost because almost ANY other railroad would be more rare. Take time to do some homework and compare some prices and you'll likely get one cheaper than you might expect.

BR&P wrote:It has been many years since I was into collecting lanterns but NYC lanterns are (were) a drug on the market. I can't count how many times I used to go into an antique store and spy some old one in a corner. BR&P? NYO&W? Erie? Nope, always an NYC. I recall a friend who was on vacation in Florida and went to some bar with a rail theme. He asked the owner if he could look at an old lantern hanging from the ceiling. When the guy showed him - NYC!

My point is that unless things in that market have changed drastically, due to sheer numbers an NYC lantern should be at the lower end of the spectrum. Don't base what you pay on the "average" cost because almost ANY other railroad would be more rare. Take time to do some homework and compare some prices and you'll likely get one cheaper than you might expect.

Probably the reason that there are more New York Central lanterns than
many others is simply because the New York Central was one of the last
railroads to use these lanterns. No major railroad has used these things
in a long time so I suspect that the price of a lantern is probably pretty
high these days.
Noel Weaver

Agreed that the usual NYC conductor's lantern is NOT a rare item, as the supply is definetely out there. I myself own a couple, and never paid more than $50 for any one of them. The problem with the people that have them marked for $75 and up as a "rare RR lantern" is that they may WANT that price, but they haven't GOTTEN that price. That's why year after year at the same shows people are trying to sell the SAME LANTERNS.

From what I've seen lately, eBay might be your best bet.

I PICKED ONE UP AT THE BIG BOUKVILLE, NY ANTIQUE SHOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOR $45.00. THE GLASS HAD NYC LINES ON IT. SO IT WAS A GOOD BUY. MOST ANTIQUE SHOPS USUALLY HAVE THEM ANYWHERE FROM 55.00 ON UP. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO A LITTLE SHOPPING AROUND AND REMEMBER ALWAYS ASK THE DEALER IF THEY CAN DO ANY BETTER ON THEPRICE. YOU MIGHT SAVE YOUR SELF A FEW DOLLARS.

I PICKED ONE UP AT THE BIG BOUCKVILLE, NY ANTIQUE SHOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOR $45.00. THE GLASS HAD NYC LINES ON IT. SO IT WAS A GOOD BUY. MOST ANTIQUE SHOPS USUALLY HAVE THEM ANYWHERE FROM 55.00 ON UP. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO A LITTLE SHOPPING AROUND AND REMEMBER ALWAYS ASK THE DEALER IF THEY CAN DO ANY BETTER ON THEPRICE. YOU MIGHT SAVE YOUR SELF A FEW DOLLARS.

A NYC Lines or NYCS clear globe lantern in good original condtion, working or needing only a wick to be functional, brings $35-$50. I had a red globe Lines lantern a couple years ago which brought .. $55 I think on a Buy It Now on eBay, I know I put a higher price on it than they were going for and was surrpised it sold. But I bought it on a whim at a flea market and thought it was a good deal, I already knew the clear globes to be common, had not researched the red globe version. I think I paid around $30 for it.

A bare shell might only bring $5-$10. Other variations or with different markings may bring more money, too.

I'd bet a PRR lantern is the same deal; NYC and Pennsy were the two biggest railroads in the country for many years, and had probably millions of lanterns around back in the day. So they're still pretty common, especially compared to smaller roads like the New Haven, Lehigh Valley, or NYO&W.

Age doesn't always affect value, there were some Penn Central lanterns made which are very rare, and I saw a red globe only with the EL diamond logo cast in bring several thousand dollars on eBay a number of years ago.

The reason you see them for sale for more money is because people buy them as antiques and have no idea what's common or what collectors actually pay for things. I see lanterns at flea markets and train shows all the time, but they're usually priced too high or about normal market, so I don't buy many.

I think most i have ever paid for a NYC Lantern was on ebay for 35.oo which was a good buy. My most cheapest was $5.00 and it was a Dietz No. 6 at the regional market in Syracuse. But heres the catch, the lantern had no globe, which now the globe can go for $75.00 to 125.00 new. Is it worth it, NO, so it hangs there naked. My suggestion, wait till the summer, go to those yard sales, youll probably find one cheap. I dont have over 75.00 invested in mine and I have 15 of them. Good luck

Why won't you deal with E-Bay? I have never had a problem yet, though I know some who have. The people I know who had a problem had a trouble getting people in Western Europe (UK to be exact) in paying up. Outside of that, no rip-offs, so what's your issue with it?

D/