Kerosene Lamp Collection Illuminates 19th Century History

Kerosene Lamp Collection Illuminates 19^th Century History

Display at the New City Library

New City resident, Alan Gordon has been fascinated with kerosene lamps and the stories they might tell. A portion of his collection is on display at the New City Library, 220 N. Main Street New City, NY, through March.

There are examples from many facets of family, commercial and industrial life along with modern counterparts for contrast. The display illuminates life before electricity, giving us a glimpse of both the art and utility of these ubiquitous items that decorated dinner tables, lit night time roads and allowed miners to see their way into deep tunnels.

As an avid sailor, Alan relates to the 2 items in his collection that were essential to their original owners. The red and green navigation bow lamps were used to alert vessels of the original owner’s speed and direction at night. The anchor lamp warned vessels of the boat at anchor.

The lamps are a reminder that our lifestyles and the technology that we take for granted are not static. The era of kerosene as a major source of fuel for lighting was less than a century and was replaced by electricity.

While these lamps have been largely replaced where electricity is available, kerosene is still used for lighting in remote places and in undeveloped areas worldwide.

References

Thuro, Catherine M.V. (1976). Oil Lamps, the kerosene era in north America. Wallace – Homestead Book Company, Radnor, PA

Thuro, Catherine M.V. (1990). Oil Lamps II, glass kerosene. Collector Books, Paducah, KY

Courter, J. W. (1971) Aladdin, the magic name in lamps: Aladdin kerosene mantle lamps, Aladdin electric lamps, and Alacite by Aladdin. Sipmson IL

Husfloen, Kyle (Ed.).(2002).Antique Trader lamps and lighting price guide. Krause. Iola, WI

Matthews. John R. (2004 ). The light bulb. Franklin Watts. New York