Is This Part Of A Boat?

[MilitariaCollector]

I found this on the ground while metal detecting a foundation near a river. I think it is a boat navigation light cover. It is 2 3/4" in diameter by 2 3/4" height. The lense is red glass (boat navigation lights are red and green). The housing is some kind of casting (soft metal) and seems to be covered in either a light coating of cement or marine growth. There is an access hole in the side with a screw in the top. The channel on the back of the housing looks like it held something, or something could of clipped into there. Any ideas?

 

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[east tx digger]

Looks right to me....looks like 2 contact points on the bottom.

 

[MilitariaCollector]

The ring shown inside the base is like a snap ring, and was used to hold this cover to whatever it was mounted to. There doesnt seem to be any external mounting screws in for the base. I figured the wiring for the light came up through the bottom, but I dont know what the hole in the side is for, or what the channel on the back held.

 

[trikikiwi]

I will say definitely a Port signal lamp
Jordan, you have pointed out the 'snap ring' on the 'base'- I call it a 'circlip' . Notice the glass is also held in by a circlip, so maybe the lamp had 2 lenses, and would have been mounted more like this;



then there is the hole for the power lead and the half round fitting for mounting to a rail.

Mike

 

[DanB]

Looks like an old tail light from a car.......late 30's early 40's.....


db

 

[sasnz]

I think it is off an old car as well, can you tell us what it is made of? Usually any sea faring parts are made of Brass due to the corrosion of salt water.

Sasnz

 

[Bridge End Farm]

I think it is a old train light

 

[dozer dan]

lack of green lense? red light district. cathouse porch light from a river port?

 

[VATUGMGR]

Definitely a navigation light fixture, however I suspect it to be more of a mast light vice side light or maybe a wing light. Without a shield that would restrict the illumination of the required 112.5 degrees of visibility to be a port running light, it seems to me that it would be a mast light similar to what a vessel of less than 50 meters would carry, either way, based on the size, its either aircraft or a small boat surface vessel light.

VATUG

 

[MilitariaCollector]

I think it is made of zinc, or something similar. The housing is cast, and is somewhat crude (there are globules left from the casting). The foundation of the house is near a river, with a canal on the other side. The canal used to carrry cargo on small barges a long time ago. I am pretty sure the light is a for a boat (its not for an airplane), maybe one of the barges or a small motor boat used on the river.

 

[taz42o]

Maybe a boat trailer light, the ones on pipe at back of trailer .

 

[VATUGMGR]

Upon further review? The snap ring in the bottom of your picture indicated that this was part of an assembly that required a secure (at the time) connection due to load placed on it or environment. I have found several examples that are pretty darn close to yours that came from the Model T era vehicle lamps that were lit by kerosene. The canister has the wick just like a miners lamp that is secured into the lens assembly. Just a thought maybe, but with the variations in sizes and applications, it sure could fit.

VATUG