Pigeon Lampe Merveilleuse
Pigeon Lampe Merveilleuse
Name/Title
"Pigeon" Lampe MerveilleuseEntry/Object ID
2025.1.878Description
A cylindrical non-ferrous metal lamp (brass) for burning benzolene. The top unscrews from the main part which is a reservoir for the fuel. There is an adjustment wheel, which when turned makes the wick higher or lower. The lamp most probably had a glass sphere that was placed over the flame and rested on ridge of the bell-like shape. The lamp was run on gasoline. The wick is a rope-wick, quite obsolete at the time, but as they were very cheap, they had commercial success.Context
The detail on the front reads: Patented inEngland No 11157; 12 hours of good light for one half penny Sole Agent in England Leon Clerc London Absolute Security guaranteed. Charles Pigeon (1838-1915) was born in Normandy and moved to Paris at a young age where he worked as a trader. In the last quarter of the 19th century there was a great need for safe lighting and Charles developed a non-explosive portble oil lamp. In 1884 he applied for a patent for a lamp, the result of his work, and in 1900 he presented the lamp at the World Exhibition in Paris where it received special recognition.Cataloged By
Felix LamCategory
Domestic