A recent thread by Millsman showed a coin bank that had been made from a No.36 grenade casing:
https://www.bocn.co.uk/threads/mills-36-1917.108900/#post-337988
The casing was made by J M Doughty & Sons Ltd, London, and quite a few novelty Mills grenade items turn up using bodies from this maker - moneyboxes (with vertical or horizontal slots), lamps, and table lighters. Why JMD grenades are so prevalent is debatable, but poor or incorrect castings seem to be a mark of this maker, with blow holes and out-of-spec dimensions, such as the lugs being too narrow.
An interesting JMD novelty that turns up occasionally - and has the potential for causing misplaced excitement for the unwary as being some unique experimental grenade - is the table lighter. Registered Design No.653421 of 1915 was the first documentary appearance of a table lighter design based on a Mills (No.5) grenade, as shown below. The table or perpetual lighter has just a wick (no flint and friction wheel) so is in effect a glorified candle that sits and burns for gentlemen to light their cigars after dinner.
Some internet photos show a couple of examples of JMD No.36-based lighters, one even with the Reg. Des. number stamped around the undrilled filler screw boss. The only noticeable external modification is that the striker hole in the top is enlarged and threaded for the wick holder. Quite often the lighters are found without the latter, revealing the enlarged threaded striker aperture that catches the unquestioning by surprise - as must be some rare experimental grenade.
If you find such a Mills grenade body with a tapped striker hole, and especially if it is marked JMD&SL, think - table lighter.
https://www.bocn.co.uk/threads/mills-36-1917.108900/#post-337988
The casing was made by J M Doughty & Sons Ltd, London, and quite a few novelty Mills grenade items turn up using bodies from this maker - moneyboxes (with vertical or horizontal slots), lamps, and table lighters. Why JMD grenades are so prevalent is debatable, but poor or incorrect castings seem to be a mark of this maker, with blow holes and out-of-spec dimensions, such as the lugs being too narrow.
An interesting JMD novelty that turns up occasionally - and has the potential for causing misplaced excitement for the unwary as being some unique experimental grenade - is the table lighter. Registered Design No.653421 of 1915 was the first documentary appearance of a table lighter design based on a Mills (No.5) grenade, as shown below. The table or perpetual lighter has just a wick (no flint and friction wheel) so is in effect a glorified candle that sits and burns for gentlemen to light their cigars after dinner.
Some internet photos show a couple of examples of JMD No.36-based lighters, one even with the Reg. Des. number stamped around the undrilled filler screw boss. The only noticeable external modification is that the striker hole in the top is enlarged and threaded for the wick holder. Quite often the lighters are found without the latter, revealing the enlarged threaded striker aperture that catches the unquestioning by surprise - as must be some rare experimental grenade.
If you find such a Mills grenade body with a tapped striker hole, and especially if it is marked JMD&SL, think - table lighter.
