Name/Title
GlobeEntry/Object ID
1986.056Description
Glass hurricane globe. A hurricane globe is a glass chimney placed over a candle to keep it from being blown out by the wind. In 1780, Francois-Pierre Aime Argand, the son of a Swiss watchmaker, invented an oil lamp with a glass chimney and a control dial. Hurricane lamps, as the whole set was called, became popular on ships during this time to prevent winds from blowing out candles. They were both hung and placed on walls. In the US, hurricane lamps are associated with the Civil War era due to their appearance in movies such as "Gone with the Wind." A hurricane "shade" refers to a similar glass device, but attached to a wall.
The globes could be simple clear glass, or more ornate with etchings and colored glass. They were used with candles and then became more popular with oil lamps.Dimensions
Height
11-1/2 inDiameter
5 in
