The Feuerhand story begins in Beierfeld, where Hermann Nier ran a plumbing workshop from 1870, producing a wide variety of metal goods alongside his core trade. As industrialisation took hold, small workshops across Germany gave way to mechanised factories — and the Nier business was no exception.

In 1898, the Nier brothers' business was acquired by Frankonia Albert Frank Metalware. The brothers remained with the new company as production managers. Following disagreements, Hermann Nier left in 1902 and started his own storm lantern production. That same year, he filed a patent for the manufacture of storm lanterns. His son Bruno Nier became the driving force behind Feuerhand in the early twentieth century.

In 1899, Dietz began tin-plating its lanterns, significantly extending their lifespan and durability.

This era also saw the introduction of some of Dietz's most enduring models. The Dietz Blizzard was launched around this time and — remarkably — is still in production today, more than 120 years later. The Dietz Junior followed in 1903.

In 1913, competitor C.T. Ham introduced a new storm lantern called the Nu-Style. Dietz recognized its advantages, acquired C.T. Ham, and renamed the model the D-Lite — now the best-selling Dietz lantern of all time.

Another beloved model, The Little Wizard, was introduced in 1914.

Frederick Dietz passed away in 1915 at the age of 68. He had no children, and his shares were divided among the remaining family. In a remarkable gesture, every Dietz employee with more than one year of service received a bequest from his estate — in some cases equivalent to a full year's salary.

Leadership passed to his younger brother, John Dietz. The company continued to grow until 1923, but the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a sharp decline in revenue. In the 1940s, German manufacturer Feuerhand seized the opportunity to enter the American market, adding further competitive pressure.

John Dietz died in 1936, leaving the company on the brink of collapse. His son Robert II Dietz — previously considered unfit for leadership by his father and brother — stepped in and managed to keep the company alive. During this difficult period, tin-plating was discontinued and replaced with painted finishes.

After World War II, business recovered strongly — partly due to the collapse of German lantern production, and partly due to high demand for safety lanterns along roads and railways.

In 1948, Dietz introduced the Comet, which became the official lantern of the Boy Scouts of America — the country's largest scouting organisation.

In 1950, Gerry (Gary) Dietz, son of Robert II, took over the business. In 1955, new regulations banned the use of kerosene lanterns along public roads, causing a significant drop in sales. Lanterns were now primarily used in locations without electricity. That same year, the Greenwich Village factory was closed.

Recognising the need for drastic action, Gerry opened R.E. Dietz Ltd. Hong Kong in 1957 to reduce production costs. This ultimately led to the closure of the Syracuse factory in 1970, with all production moved to Hong Kong. In 1967, Gerry's son John Dietz had already assumed leadership of the company.

Dietz continued to innovate relentlessly, outcompeting rivals or acquiring them outright. A growing portfolio of patents gave Dietz a powerful legal advantage, and numerous disputes and lawsuits followed. By acquiring competitors primarily for their patents and designs, Dietz steadily grew into the dominant force in the lantern industry.

In 1894, Robert E. Dietz's son Frederick (Fred) Dietz took over the company. Fred proved just as innovative as his father — he filed 25 new patents, designed the iconic Dietz logo, and expanded international sales significantly.

In 1897, Dietz suffered a major setback: the New York City factory burned to the ground, leaving only the four exterior walls standing. According to family accounts, Fred never told his father about the fire. Robert E. Dietz passed away that same year, just four months after the disaster — never knowing the factory had burned.

The relocation to Hong Kong proved to be an outstanding decision. Within ten years, Dietz was producing 1.5 million lanterns per year. Innovation continued with the development of battery-powered signal lights for road safety applications.

In 1978, the company was acquired by Edward Reynolds — the first time in 138 years that Dietz passed out of family hands. In 1982, production was fully relocated to China, where Dietz lanterns are still manufactured today under the leadership of the Mak family.

Despite the change in ownership and location, Dietz continues to uphold the high quality standards that built its reputation — in stark contrast to the many imitation brands that shamelessly copy their designs.

• Archer, Pancoast and Co. — acquired 1868
• Chicago Manufacturing Co. — acquired 1873 by Dennis and Wheeler; acquired 1881 by The Steam Gauge and Lantern Co.; acquired 1897 by Dietz following the factory fire
• C.T. Ham — acquired 1913 for the Nu-Style lantern, later renamed the D-Lite
• Nail City Lantern Co. / Wheeling Stamping Co. — lantern division acquired 1946
• Defiance Lantern and Stamping Co. — acquired 1935 by Embury Manufacturing; Embury Manufacturing acquired 1953 by Dietz

Dietz produced dozens of variants, export models and special editions over more than 150 years. The table below covers the most significant hurricane and tubular lanterns for collectors. Production years are approximate and vary by version and manufacturing location — New York, Syracuse, Hong Kong, and China.