RARE 1800s Adams And Westlake Pullman Train Car Lamp Fixtures Set Owned By John Wayne

Posted by Jim Olson on Apr 19th 2025

From Presidential Railcars to John Wayne’s Yacht?

When people think of the Western Americana, they might picture classic examples, spurs, saddles, or maybe even weaponry. But sometimes, history hides in the places you least expect, like a set of antique light fixtures.

Made by Adams & Westlake back in the 1800s, these four train car lights weren’t just designed to impress. They were built to ride the rails in style. According to passed-down accounts and some (currently unavailable) paperwork provided by an estate attorney, these fixtures were originally installed in a luxury Pullman railcar said to have been used by President Ulysses S. Grant.

It’s worth pausing there. Grant traveled by private rail after his presidency, and these lights fit right in with the opulence of the time. There’s even an old newspaper photo showing similar fixtures aboard the Nomad, a well-known railcar Grant rode in post-presidency.

Now fast forward a few decades.

These same lights ended up in the hands of John Wayne. Yup, that John Wayne. The story goes he had them installed aboard The Norwester, his first yacht.

Later, he passed them on to one of his closest friends, Ken Reafsnyder, who displayed them in his home from the 1960s until 2020.

When Ken passed, the lights were inherited by the widow and daughter of Louis Johnson, another longtime and famous Wayne partner. While there's no formal chain of custody, the provenance we do have paints a fascinating trail across time.

The fixtures were originally made for candle or gas use, but were later converted to electric. That likely happened while they were with Wayne or Reafsnyder. They’re large, beautifully built, and carry the kind of wear and patina that comes with age and story.

Collectors of Presidential memorabilia, Old Hollywood items, or railroad antiques will no doubt appreciate how pieces like these serve as bridges between American eras.

And if nothing else, it’s a good reminder, history doesn’t always hang on the wall. Sometimes, it lights up the room.