A 19th Century Glass Oil Lamp c1870

Description

Heading : A small Victorian glass oil lamp
Date : c1870
Period : Victorian
Origin : England
Colour : Clear
Bowl : Oil reservoir with a 1.5cm single tube pewter wick holder
Stem : Hollow baluster stem
Foot : Conical
Pontil : Gadget tooling mark
Glass Type : Lead free
Size : 16.5cm tall
Condition : Excellent. no chips or cracks
Restoration : None
Weight : 185 grams

The bowl shape and length of the metal wick holders are important factors when looking at oil lamps. Small bowls. ovoid bowls and long wick holders are common features with whale oil lamps. The oil was costly until usurped by kerosene and bowls were small. The extended wick holder transferred heat into the body of oil such that it could be more easily drawn up the wick.