The name L. Dresco, or the initials L.D., refers to Laurent Dresco. His name and initials appear in numerous archival documents and are stamped on many Dresco hurricane lanterns.

It is very unlikely that Laurent Dresco himself ever marketed hurricane lanterns. He died in 1887, before lantern production can be documented. The true driving force behind the manufacture of Dresco hurricane lanterns was his widow, Marie Louise Charlotte Tourret, who appears in official records as Vve L. Dresco.

Vve is the abbreviation of Veuve, meaning widow.

The origins of Dresco date back to 1862, when Félix Dresco and Pierre‑Antoine Dresco, together with other partners, founded a tinworks under the name Dresco Frères. The Dresco brothers likely came from Varzo, Italy, a region in Northern Italy near the Swiss border known for skilled metalworkers.

Contemporary reports place the factory at 62 Rue Amelot, Paris.

In 1869, Dresco Frères acquired the factory and inventory of Société Sernich et Debout, located at 11 Rue Chapon, Paris. Documentation on Dresco Frères is scarce, but a notice from 1880 confirms that the partnership was dissolved.

A newspaper article from 1875 mentions Laurent Dresco and C. Savaglio in connection with Dresco Frères, indicating their involvement at that time.

In July 1875, the names George, Laurent, and Jean Dresco appear as the proprietors of Dresco Frères in a news paper.

Later references list Dresco Frères at 26 Rue Fontaine‑au‑Roi. An extensive article from 1902 describes significant production of moulds and dies for various applications. It is possible that the firm went bankrupt under Gabriel Dresco, after which parts of the operation were continued by relatives, with Laurent Dresco taking over production under the name L. Dresco.

Gabriel Dresco was the son of Antoine Dresco, one of the original Dresco Frères.

The earliest independent reference to Laurent Dresco appears in a Swiss newspaper in 1874, announcing the opening of a shop in Tramelan‑Dessus, Switzerland. The store sold tinware, including lamps, pipes, and related goods, under the name Savaglio & Dresco.

This partnership lasted only briefly. In January 1875, press reports announced its dissolution, with Laurent Dresco continuing on his own. By July 1875, both names reappear in connection with Dresco Frères, suggesting a move to Paris to work within the family business.

The name L. Dresco itself is difficult to trace directly. The earliest confirmed reference is a payment document from 1893, which already names Vve L. Dresco.

Earlier patents from 1880 and 1881 are attributed simply to Dresco, listing the address 11 Rue Chapon, formerly occupied by Sernich et Debout and later by Dresco Frères.

An invoice from 1905 states:

This confirms that Veuve L. Dresco operated from the original Dresco Frères premises.

It is likely that Laurent Joseph Fidèle Dresco was a son or close relative of one of the Dresco brothers. He married Marie Louise Charlotte Tourret in 1873. Their daughter, Alice Marie Henriette Dresco, was born in 1879 and would later play a role in the company’s continuation.
After Laurent Dresco’s death in 1887, Marie Louise Tourret continued the business—highly unusual for the period.
Of course, she would not have accomplished this alone, but together with colleagues she built the company into what it became; however, no other name than Vve L. Dresco appears in the surviving records.

Her first known patent dates from 1889 and concerns a hygienic bucket.

A newspaper article from 1893 describes a fire at a neighboring property and explicitly identifies Veuve Madame L. Dresco as the owner of the workshop.

The first documented Dresco hurricane lanterns appear in a 1905 catalogue. A newspaper article from 1917 states that the model “L’Indispensable” had already been in production for 15 years, indicating an introduction around 1902.

Marie Tourret filed numerous patents related to lighting and hurricane lantern construction:

• 1906 – Reflector / lampshade for lanterns with tubes
• 1909 – Wall bracket
• 1911–1912 – Improved protective cage
• 1913 – Cleaning openings in air tubes
• 1918 – Improved air intake and spring mechanism

Marie Dresco died in 1918, yet even her obituary still lists Veuve L. Dresco.

In 1900, Alice Dresco married Louis‑Auguste Eugène Balland. After Marie Dresco’s death, they took over the company and renamed it A. Balland‑Dresco around 1919–1920.

In 1921, Louis‑Auguste Balland‑Dresco filed patents, including:

• Replacement of the traditional convex glass globe with flat glass panels
• An alternative chimney cover (1922)

A 1920 register of the French Army includes an advertisement for Dresco hurricane lanterns, noting their use by the French, British, and Belgian armies.

In 1924, the company was reorganized as Balland, Dresco et S.A.G.E., a partnership.

S.A.G.E. stands for Société des Applications Générales de l’Éclairage.

This arrangement was short‑lived. The partnership was dissolved in january 1926. This marked the definitive end of Dresco as a hurricane lantern manufacturer.

In April 1926, the name Balland‑Dresco appears again in connection with an innovation involving a magnifying glass, mentioned in a newspaper article. Notably, this notice refers to the same address as previously associated with Dresco.

Once again, if you have any additional information to contribute, I would of course be very pleased to hear from you. You are also invited to visit the webpage showcasing the various hurricane lantern models that are attributed to L. Dresco.

My sincere thanks go to Jörg Wekemann for generously sharing his knowledge and information. My gratitude also goes to Simeon Denbaes and Henk Kloosterman for sharing their passion for French hurricane lanterns and their valuable insights.

Sources

Numerous references were consulted. If you have any questions or comments regarding the information above, please feel free to get in touch.

• Delcampe.net – Historical invoices
• gallica.bnf.fr – Historical newspaper articles
• retronews.fr – Historical newspaper articles
• Inpi.fr – Patent records
• Geneanet – Genealogical information