Lamp, Kerosene
Object number84.117.1 a-c
Manufacturer
Bryce, Higbee & Company
(1878 - 1907)
Date1915-1920
Mediumglass; brass
DescriptionKerosene lamp consisting of colorless pressed glass base, brass burner, and hurricane-shaped glass chimney. Base has octagonal cup-shaped font, flat shouldered with wide horizontal rim. Short octagonal stem on thick square base with hollow underside. Base is pressed in Sheraton pattern. Base has band of Greek key design, with a tiny band of same design on upper edge of font.
Dimensions16.75 x 4.313 x 4.313 x 4.313 in. (42.5 x 11 x 11 x 11 cm)MarksP & A Mfg. Co. Acorn on outside of wick knob, Made in the USA on inside of wick
Label TextWhale oil, a popular illuminant, was scarce and expensive by the 1850s. Samuel M. Kier suspected that Pennsylvania crude oil might offer an affordable alternative, except for burning oil’s awful smell and smoke. Refining petroleum into “carbon oil,” or kerosene, helped, but Kier’s design for a specialized oil lamp with a small wick eliminated much of the odor and mess of burning oil. Pittsburgh glass companies realized the potential of kerosene and developed new products, such as this patented lamp, to meet the demand
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On View
On view
Duncan & Miller Glass Company
