My Collection: Urbis Sapphire 1 (2)

The Sapphire 1 by Urbis was a versatile post-top or side-entry lantern. They were incredibly common in the UK, especially around Birmingham. This is the second Sapphire 1 to enter the collection. It is in decent condition but will need a new driver as the old one has failed (probably the reason for it's removal).

The bowl is fairly-cloudy from running the CDM-T lamp.

Judging by the position of the grub-screws, this lantern would have been mounted side-entry when in service, on a green hockey-stick column much like my other Sapphire 1.

The canopy has aged quite well, with minimal scuffing. The Zodion SS6 photocell is fitted in the centre, dated September 2012.

This lantern has the newer-style clip, which is preferable to the one that preceded it. This example is quite warped but still works. To gain access to the gear/lamp compartments, the clip can be pinched and the canopy lifted up.

The failed Harvard PLC LMIDD70-240-CC ballast:

Interestingly, it looks like this gear-tray may not have been original to this lantern. The lack of a date printed onto the sticker, and the incompatibility with the canopy's sticker is also evidence of this.

A calendar is imprinted onto the inside of the canopy which would date this lantern to around 2003.

The lamp-holder is held in via a pull handle.

The handle has an April 2004 date-compass.

The CDM-T lamp in it's removable-lamp-holder