The Cog of Acceptance

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Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 1:16pm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22283683@N07/5819596438/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22283683@N07/5819029381/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22283683@N07/5818503275/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22283683@N07/5818496941/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22283683@N07/5819056766/in/photostream/

Heck, just check this whole photostream for a number of pictures of oil lamps and many variations...and keep in mind this is 1916, when most homes did NOT have electricity (expensive).
THe more ornate hanging lamps now go for about $200-400, and if you found one in a MISSION style, you can pretty much guarantee a house payment with it.

In the second Flickr picture, you will notice in the top right corner some 'sewing' lamps..these are of the 'Princess Feather' design, still made to day in a couple sizes.   The fonts run about $40-60 less burner, chimney etc.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 1:03pm

Generally a sewing lamp was one that was able to be kept reasonably close for the best light, usually with a taller base to get the light above the eyes of someone doing close work...you did not want glare, shadow, or light in the eyes getting in the way.
They also tended to be a bit heavier and more stable, since you did not want to tip it over on yourself, being aflame was not good.

Many lamp companies had extensive lines, from the simple to incredibly ornate.  An average lamp could sell for $0.25 to $2.00, with the most elaborate ones (say used at the Crystal Palace for Exhibition) being in the $2000 range...this in 1851 dollars!!!!
One lamp company might have five different sizes of any lamp design...and with up to 2300 products in their catalog, this was an incredible undertaking.
The catalogs would change yearly.

With the sheer number of design possibilities for 'combination' lamps running in the millions...the next time such optional choice would be made would be GM's car lines in the 1960's....there were actually more variations in lamp design options than cars in 1968, and GM made over 3.8 MILLION cars that year IIRC.

General design aspects were for sewing utility, lamps for pump organs (MUCH more popuar than pianos...pianos were expensive, and a status symbol), table lamps, finger lamps (used for portable illumination, say to the bed chamber), banquet lamps (generally very ornate, another status symbol), floor lamps, wall lamps.....many choices for many uses.
Competition was so tough, that simple changes in font design would gain a patent, say to reduce drips when refilling.
OR making the gallery and chimney removable to ease refilling, without burning yourself on the hot chimney.
OR burner design to improve light output, reduce oil usage, reduce smell, reduce sooting...VERY cut-throat competition. 

Oil lamps were also responsible for a great deal of standardization, resulting in the basic wick/burner sizes, thread sizes for fitting on fonts, fitters (chimney base sizes), lamp shades and even the fit of the wicks in the burners...undersized wicks, while cheaper by as much as $0.02, could burn down past the wick tube, and burn into the oil chamber, possibly causing an explosion.  Standards in materials and design pretty much eliminated these perils.

You must remember, Oil Lamps with Chimneys made it possible for humans to work later and earlier in the day, increasing productivity by as much as 400%, compared to times where a rushlight or wicked candle was the main source of illumination.  And candles were EXPENSIVE.
Oil lamps were responsible for the greatest increase in human productivity since the invention of the iron shovel, the wheel and fire.
Gas and electric lights did the same, in their turn.

Comment by Professor Argon Bats on February 25, 2013 at 10:13am

Great collection! I'm curious, what defines a sewing lamp as "sewing"? A tall base?

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:22am

Should anyone have any questions on purchasing an oil lamp, be it on approximate age, condition issues, completeness, suggested prices etc. just message me and I can advise you.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:20am

Seriously, many if not most of the lamps out there are of antique vintage, many from the late 1800s if not earlier.  Sure, there were many repros and junk produced in the 1970's, but they are easily weeded out, and viable 140-Year-Old tech is available at most people's fingertips.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:18am

I wish the pictures could do better justice to their size and  condition...we have one lamp that was rescued from an 1890's midden heap, and with a new threaded collar and antique burner it does yeoman service, same as the day it came out of the sawdust packed salesman's wagon in the 1860s.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:14am

The second group of pictures, from the bottom:
a 1900-1920's production 'sewing lamp', new burner.
Second from bottom:
1870's sewing lamp, with patent date 1868 #2 burner;
Third from bottom:
Fully restored 1890's  lamp, it has an inserted font in the painted base, burner yet to be identified, with a rare matching shade.  Gives a fabulous light.
Last but not least, a near-perfect original RAYO tubular-wick lamp, nickle finish, with hand-painted shade.  Circa 1910-ish, could be as early as 1890.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:08am

The first pic is out miniatures collection, with a bottle of Aberlour and some chocolates as accessories.
The second is my PERSONAL favorite, with a RARE matching glass shade, thick as card stock and EXTREMELY fragile.  IF I sold it (unlikely), it would be $300.  It uses a #3 burner, with an enormous capacity font.  Found in the rafters at a bard sale for $5!
The third is a nickle-plated B&H lamp (tubular wick) with a milk glass 'hobnail' shade.
Foruth is a 'combination' lamp, so-called due to it's method of assembly: the manufacturer would buy bases, connectors, columns and fonts from separate suppliers, and perhaps have some staff do hand-painting in it.  The font is etched with Peonies, and the column nicely decorated.  It has a Queen Anne #2 burner, puts out a nice light, but needs a tall chimney for the best light efficiency.

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 8:01am

A few more:

Comment by Ryan Grimm on February 25, 2013 at 7:52am

The lamps...ah...er...not yet on EB or other site, HOWEVER we are moving out stock to another antique mall with MUCH more traffic, and our booth will be both larger, and with a set of joists to hang chandeliers etc. from.

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