Authentic Lithuanian made glass lantern shades still in use after 60 years

Lore: in the late 1960s the very first version of the RTU series lanterns in USSR was released - it featured three types of lanterns, one was called RTU-02 which was a big proud standing milky glass shade with large overhanging metal roof dish and it had a 250w mercury vapor lamp by design, then there was RTU-01 which was a small teetotum shaped lantern with a conical shade and conical roof dish and it had 125w mercury vapor lamp by design and its iconic name was "ogoniok" which translated from Russian would mean "little flame", and the last was RTU-06 which was a large porcelain glass bubble and it used 125w mercury vapor lamp by design, and each three types I have in my collection.

When these lanterns were released to manufacture they spread like wild fire across all of USSR and especially the RTU-01 "ogoniok" was probably the most popular pedestrian roads and park lighting lantern of them all, and in Lithuania you can still find them in some abandoned territories.

In this picture what I have photographed, is a hybrid fixture, that employs a RTU-01 base and the ballast/lamp housing, yet the glass shade is not at all what it would have looked like from the factory. What you can see here is a authentic Lithuanian designed and hand blown glass shade that was designed to be used in fancy big city parks and alleys and whatnot and it was designed to fit right onto the RTU-01 base and be very distinguishable from the ordinary ogoniok.

Since I was little, I was fascinated by these lanterns because I knew they were hand blown in Kaunas city grand glass factory of Lithuania and I always wanted to see them live but never could until last weekend when I traveled to visit one of Lithuania's grandest and most luxurious city called Druskininkai, and in the old cemetery I found several of these lanterns, still in use, retrofitted with 70w HPS lamps inside to save power and be brighter.

When I saw these during the day I was absolutely stunned to finally being able to see these extraordinary lanterns live and I was so amazed I just stared at them for probably hours LOL. First time seeing them live, after 15+ years of marveling at them on internet pictures... I just wanted to climb up a tree and snag one of these shades for my collection LOL

But then evening came and I just couldn't resist myself so I went there one more time and I was absolutely stunned to see them actually working. Picture this: In a city center, where every street and every park is all LED you see these lanterns, installed probably in the 1960s, still in use to this day... I must admit that I even cried a little bit when I saw them powered up because it was so surreal you do not even imagine...

So admire these special lanterns, they have a special place in my memory.