R. E. Dietz Company
Encyclopedia
R.E. Dietz Company was a lighting products manufacturer. They are best known for hot blast and cold blast kerosene lantern
s. The company started in 1840 when its founder, 22 year old Robert E. Dietz
purchased a Lamp
& Oil
business in Brooklyn
, New York
. Though famous for well built indoor & outdoor kerosene
lanterns, the company was a major player in the automotive lighting industry from the 1920s through into the 1960s.
R.E. Dietz also produced the majority of road work warning lights. First oil lanterns (Traffic-Gard trademark) and road torches which looked like cannon balls with large wicks. Kerosene
was normally used in these lamps. Later they developed some of the first transistorized warning lights (Visi-Flash
trademark) using standard 6v lantern batteries
. These lights either blinked in timed intervals or had a steady light.
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
s. The company started in 1840 when its founder, 22 year old Robert E. Dietz
Dietz
Dietz is a surname, and may refer to:* August Dietz , a philatelist, editor and publisher* Cyrus E. Dietz , Illinois Supreme Court Justice* Danny Dietz , United States Navy SEAL and recipient of the Navy Cross...
purchased a Lamp
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
& Oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
business in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Though famous for well built indoor & outdoor kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
lanterns, the company was a major player in the automotive lighting industry from the 1920s through into the 1960s.
R.E. Dietz also produced the majority of road work warning lights. First oil lanterns (Traffic-Gard trademark) and road torches which looked like cannon balls with large wicks. Kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
was normally used in these lamps. Later they developed some of the first transistorized warning lights (Visi-Flash
Visi-Flash
Visi-Flash was the trade name used by R. E. Dietz Company for their line of battery powered transistorized barricade warning lights. In 1958, Dietz was the first company to offer battery powered barricade lights. These lights are commonly seen along highway construction zones or other road &...
trademark) using standard 6v lantern batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
. These lights either blinked in timed intervals or had a steady light.