Below is an overview of the oil lamps and hurricane lanterns produced by Société Industrielle d’Articles d’Éclairage (S.I.A.E.). No official catalogues or factory documentation have survived, which makes precise dating impossible. The company operated from 1900 to 1940, which provides a broad timeframe for these products. Hurricane lantern production probably began around 1910.

Many oil lamps are fitted with SIAE-made wick holders, but only a small number of these lamps were actually manufactured by SIAE. Because SIAE sold wick holders separately to other lamp producers, a wick holder bearing the SIAE mark does not necessarily mean the lamp itself is an SIAE product. The overview below therefore includes only oil lamps that are clearly marked on the lamp body itself.

For the historical background of the company, see the SIAE History page.

With thanks to Simeon Denbaes for providing the photographs of the PAON, a model that is not yet represented in the collection.

The PAON – French for peacock – shows strong similarities to the La Parisienne. Its most striking feature is the decorated globe with a peacock design. This model is not yet part of the collection.

The lantern and photographs shown below were kindly provided by Simeon Denbaes.

The La Rafale is a remarkable hurricane lantern, fitted with a small turning knob that lifts the glass upward, exactly as described in the 1912 patent. The entire top section can also be unscrewed from the tank, which made cleaning and maintenance considerably easier.

The glass carries the name La Rafale together with the overlapping letters S and I, characteristic of SIAE.

Below are three versions of the La Parisienne hurricane lantern. The difference between the first two models is minimal: only the fuel tank varies slightly. The third lantern has not yet been restored and raises several questions.

On the first lantern, the most striking feature is the glass, marked with the overlapping letters SI. The model has a cap at the top of the chimney that gives easy access for cleaning the internal tubes. The wick holder is stamped SI Paris, confirming its origin. The lantern is in fairly good condition, although it leans slightly to one side.

The second lantern is almost identical to the first, but has a slightly different tank shape and rivets on the fuel tank. The glass is not original to this lantern; this type of globe belongs to a La Rafale.

The third lantern, shown in the middle, has not yet been restored. The tank is marked La Parisienne and shares several characteristics with the other models, but the glass lifter is missing and the handle is attached to the frame in an unusual way.

The most remarkable detail is the German patent number stamped on the top: No. 194290. This patent turned out to be filed by Hermann Nier in 1906 (with thanks to Jörg Wekemann for reviewing it). This raises the question whether this is a “Frankenstein lantern” – assembled from parts of different brands – or an early example of a collaboration between SIAE and Nier. The lantern appears to be in too good a condition, without visible soldering marks, to be a Frankenstein lamp, but this cannot be said with certainty.

Below is the Lampe l’Essence made by SIAE, marked La Parisienne. This small lamp is closely related to the type made famous by its inventor, Pigeon. These lamps were designed to reduce the number of household fires caused by overturned oil lamps: the tank is filled with felt, so the fuel cannot easily spill out, even if the lamp tips over.