Oil Lamp

Name/Title

Oil Lamp

Entry/Object ID

1253

Acquisition

Accession

1891.001

Source or Donor

Anthony J. Drexel, Philadelphia

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Anthony J. Drexel

Made/Created

Artist

Unidentified

Place

Country

Belgium

Continent

Europe

Dimensions

Dimension Notes

H, L, W: 13x6 x4 7/8 in; H, L, W: 33.02x15.24x12.38 cm

Height

13 in

Width

4-7/8 in

Length

6 in

Height

33.02 cm

Width

12.38 cm

Length

15.24 cm

Material

brass, tin

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Label

Label

This brass oil lamp was made in Belgium in the mid to late 19th century. Oil lamps have been found from as early as the 3rd century BCE in Greece.

Label Type

Exhibition Label

Label

Throughout the 19th century many efforts were made to create a light source that didn’t use a flame. In 1879, Thomas Edison patented the first commercially practical incandescent light.

Label Type

Exhibition Label

Label

While the use of oil lamps was popular from ancient times into the 1700’s, in 1780 the Argland lamp was invented and replaced this method of lighting. This indicates that the creation of an object like this in the 19 th century is for the sole purpose of decoration and celebration of a dying craft.