Lamps are an integral part of our homes today and through out the past. The word lamp is derived from the Greek word lampas which means torch. Why not take some time to explore the history of antique lamps?
The first lamp dates back to around 70,000 BC. That's a long time ago so you've probably already guessed that the antique lamp of that era looked nothing like the modern day lamp.
The early lamps were very utilitarian. They were made from a hollow rock or shell or other similar hollow items that could hold a fuel source.
The main source of fuel was moss that was soaked with animal fat which was then placed in the hollow bowl. It was then lit producing a candle type light. Occasionally other materials were used.
Over time the bases were replaced with pottery and later with alabaster. Then wicks were invented so that the burn could be controlled better.
The Greeks began making terra cotta lamps during the 7th century BC. These were designed to replace the hand held torches that had been used.
The central burner was invented in the 18th century which improved the functionality of the lamp a great deal. The fuel was no stored in a sealed metal container while a metal tube that was adjustable was used to control the intensity of the light which determined the amount of fuel burned.
Soon after glass chimneys were added to the lamps. These had a dual purpose. They protected the flame from wind and they also provided protection of the user from the open flame.
In 1783 a Swiss chemist by the name of Ami Argand develop an oil lamp that had a hollow circular wick and a glass chimney surrounding it. This was a huge advancement in lighting.
The earlier lamps used beeswax, whale oil, olive oil, sesame oil, fish oil, and nut oil as their fuel sources. These continued to be the main sources of fuel into the late 1700s. China was the only exception. The Chinese collected natural gas in skins that they then used for lighting.
By the mid 1800s kerosene had become a fuel that was available, introduced in Germany in 1853. Coal and natural gas were also becoming readily available. Kerosene was a much more convenient fuel source that the oils that had been previously used.
Coal had actually been in use since 1784 and in 1792 William Murdock became the first to used coal in a commercially lighting his home in Cornwall. In 1804 Freidrich Winzer patented coal lighting.
By the 19th century almost all the streets throughout Europe and the United States had gas lit street which changed to mercury lighting during the 1930s.
Homes were lit by antique lamps for centuries. It was only by the early 1900s when electricity became common in the home and electric lamps began to replace fuel lamps. Antique lamps have a wonderfully rich history that's certainly worth learning about.
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