ErnieJr's Oil Lamps

This is a collection of oil lamps that I have.
I have been collection oil lamps since 1976. Some are old. Some are unusual. Some are just functional.

America's "kerosene era" began late in the 1850s, when the petroleum-based fuel was first widely distributed as an affordable alternative to the whale oil commonly used in lamps up until that time. To meet the public's demand for lamps for lavishly decorated interiors, glassmakers produced thousands of finely detailed designs.

Although the advent of electricity signaled the eventual demise of the kerosene era, oil lamps remained fixtures in the American home well into the 20th century, owing in part to their popularity and in part to electricity's prohibitive cost for most Americans. As late as the 1940s, the lamps still served as a primary light source in remote rural areas yet to receive electrical power. The Amish continue to use oil lamps to this day. In recent years, a growing number of homeowners have recognized the ability of both antique and reproduction lamps to recall simpler times.

While their intricate designs readily attest to the glory days of glassmaking in the United States, oil lamps also stand as testaments to a nation's ingenuity. During the last quarter of the 19th century alone, the U.S. Patent Office issued thousands of patents for efficient burners, and the like. Improvements continue to be made (an aromatic smokeless oil, for example, was invented in 1964), proving that these elegant items are more than mere relics of the past.

Information and market resources for anyone interested in oil lamps.

Oil Lamps: www.OilLamp.com

Lamp Light Farms: http://www.lamplightfarms.com/

Lehman's http://www.lehmans.com/

Pages of Other People that Collect Oil Lamps

RootsLady's - Collecting Oil Lamps & Lanterns: http://rootslady.com/RootsLady/fireplace_room/lamps.htm

Musick's Antique Oil Lamp Collection: http://hometown.aol.com/texantique/oillamps.htm

Italian antique silver oil lamp http://xoomer.virgilio.it/giobuse1/lucerna/

a review of Italian antique silver oil lamps (lucerna) made in Italy between mid 18th and mid 19th century, with an illustrated selection of antique silver oil lamps and a brief history of oil lamp from 1500 B.C. to present time

New Orleans Mistic: http://www.neworleansmistic.com/spells/primer/magicoillamps.htm

Wiccan, Occult and Pagan Spells and Spell Casting. Use Handcrafted Incense, Ritual Oils, Bath Salts, Massage Oils , Bulk Herbs, Crystals, Stones, Gris Gris Bags, Soap, and other Wicca supplies and tools for pagan, occult, and magickal rituals. Supplies and spells from New Orleans in the Hoodoo Tradition

Cleaning Oil Lamps

Use a long soak in hot, sudsy water to remove the oil residue in your lamp. For especially stubborn residue, you might enlist the aid of denture cleaner. Fill the lamp base with warm water, dissolve a few tablets of denture cleaner and let stand until all residue has come off. While you're cleaning the base, analyze the burner and wick to see if they need sprucing up as well. For dirty burners, use an oven cleaner and steel wool (always work in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask and gloves). New wicks are available through Oillamp.com.