My Collection: AEC (Kingfisher) AEC 2

With thanks to Nick for this lantern. The AEC AEC 2 can trace its roots back to the Italian manufacturer AEC Illuminazione, but it was outsourced to countless countries. The exact quantity of countries that this specific design made it to is unknown, but AEC has a presence in 44 countries as of 2025. In the UK, it was sold by Kingfisher, but the fixture name it was sold as is not known, as the only reference to the Kingfisher brand on this example is an incomplete sticker on the capacitor - a rather unusual place for a fixture ID sticker to be located given all of the open space on the canopy and gear-tray.

The canopy is ribbed, which helps act as a heat sink for the ballast located underneath.

An Eterna EMPCR photocell is located adjacent to the AEC logo. This photocell is dated to 2012, but the remains of a sticker from another photocell (an Eterna EMPC) confirm the original cell was made in 2004.

A Venture 150W SON-T lamp sits within the lamp-holder. From this view, it appears the method of changing the lamp is much like the Sealsafe system on Urbis designs, but the actual design is quite peculiar.

A plastic locking nut keeps the canopy fixed shut. Notice the position for post-top mounting, but it is evident that this example was mounted side-entry when in service.

Upon opening the lantern, the strange reflector lamp-change contraption is apparent. The two springs on either side can be released, at which point the reflector and lamp-holder lift up (yet the glass remains in place).

The photocell is unique in that the main body is separate from the sensor installed in the canopy.

Every single gear component has a date on it: the ignitor - 16/05/2002, the ballast - 03/06/2002, and the capacitor to between 17/12/2001 and 23/12/2001.

The Kingfisher sticker has not been filled in, and this is the only vague reference to Kingfisher in the fixture.

The lantern lit with its 150W lamp: