Many regular stores also offer mail order services via the internet and there are several dedicated internet only websites.

Regardless of where you decide to purchase your oil lamp from make sure you take a bit of time to research the product, the site and / or the company before committing to any purchase.

Try to find independent testimonials and third party reviews (forums can be useful for this) to find out what other peoples experiences have been.

Always remember that word of mouth still remains one of the very best recommendations available.

Also, look at the payment methods they offer and make sure you’re comfortable with them.

As you would expect, internet auction sites offer the biggest range of all and operate in a variety of ways.

Some auction sites have a proposed finishing time for the listing but will continue accepting bids until a pre-set period of time passes without any further bids.

Under this system, there have been listings that have continued for 24 hours or more beyond the original scheduled finishing time so you may have to wait longer than expected to find out if you are the successful bidder.

The biggest of all internet auction sites is, of course, eBay.

eBay

eBay offers a worldwide marketplace from which you can purchase your oil lamp whether it be a basic one or a very ornate antique oil lamp or anything in between – they will all be catered for at some time.

It is a comparatively safe way to purchase for a number of reasons.

Easy market research

eBay auction listings run for 1, 3, 7 or 10 days so it is relatively quick and easy to get a feel for what products are available and what the current market price is for any particular product. It is very simple to “watch” specific items thus enabling you to compare them against each other and also to learn about specific sellers.

eBay feedback system

The feedback system allows you to check the seller’s performance over the past 12 months in 4 key areas – description accuracy, communications, promptness of despatch and shipping charges.

If you are considering a purchase and the seller’s feedback rating is anything less than 100%, check their detailed ratings and see what the buyer complaints have been.

If the complaints are similar in nature, you need to decide if it is a potential problem that you are willing to take a chance on.

If the complaints are diverse, again you need to weigh up the comments and decide whether or not to proceed with a purchase.

The feedback comments left by buyers (including the positive comments) all serve to give you an overall sense of the seller.

Payment options

eBay offers buyers a number of payment options including 3^rd party payment services such as PayPal (an eBay subsidiary).

There are also other eBay approved 3^rd party payment providers but the availability of these is dependent on which eBay site you are registered on so check your local eBay site for all acceptable payment options.

The big advantage that these services offer is the added layer of security to help keep your personal banking details private.

Other payment methods such as direct bank deposit or transfer; credit card payment directly to the seller; postal money order; C.O.D. and payment on pick-up are also available on selected eBay sites.

Buyer protection

All eBay sites offer some degree of buyer protection for cases of non-receipt of an item, damage during transit or misrepresentation of the item by the seller.

On some sites the cover is only available for items paid for using PayPal so again, check your local site to find out if your selected payment method is covered.

Buyer protection generally covers the original purchase price plus the original shipping cost that you paid.

In the case of an item which is significantly not as described, you will not be reimbursed for the cost of sending it back to the seller.

The final decision

So now you just have to decide exactly which lamp you are going to purchase.

The following two articles may assist you:

Why do people buy oil lamps

Where do people buy oil lamps

Hopefully this guide will have helped you to decide the best place to source it from but once your purchase is made, you will be faced with an even bigger dilemma – whether or not you will be able to stop at one.

Lots of us can’t but we sure do have a great time finding and buying them.

Good luck!

So you have decided to buy an oil (kerosene) lamp but where do you start?

The first consideration is what type of lamp you wish to purchase.

To begin with, you may wish to refer to my previous article:  Why do people buy oil lamps?

If you decide on a practical oil lamp, what should you look for?

The answer is there are several levels or types of practicality available.

Let’s take a look at these areas now.

Flat wick kerosene lamps

There are basic no frills flat wick lamps such as barn lamps (also known as hurricane lamps) and glass  lamps  for the home available from most camping or disposal stores and also from selected variety stores.

Flat wick lamps offer low starting prices and ease of use but don’t produce a high level of illumination.

They are also suitable for burning citronella as an outdoor insect repellent.

Centre draught kerosene lamps

The next level of practicality is to move to a centre draught oil lamp which will offer greater illumination, durability and aesthetic appeal but as these are no longer manufactured, the only option is to purchase one second hand.

Local antique stores and second-hand dealers are worth checking, as are estate and antique auctions.

Other possible sources are trash and treasure markets and garage sales where you may pick up a bargain but there can be many pitfalls for the unwary buyer.

These lamps are generally metal so the quality of the metal needs to be checked.

• If it has a brass finish, is it solid brass or brass plated?

• If it has a silver finish, is it solid aluminium or nickel or chrome plated?

• Is the plating pitted or worn?

• Does it have any dents?

• Does it have the correct burner and is it in proper working order?

Probably the most important aspect though is whether or not the font (fuel tank) is sound.

Sometimes they may look solid but actually have small pinpoints of corrosion which means it will leak kerosene so making it both dangerous and worthless.

Mantle lamps

The top of the range in practical oil lamps use a mantle similar to those used with propane gas lanterns, to produce an extremely bright light whilst offering very efficient and cost effective operation.

This style can be further divided into 2 categories – those that are pressurised and those that aren’t.

Pressurised kerosene lamps

An example of a pressurised lamp is a “Tilley” brand lamp.

These lamps have a small hand pump incorporated into the fuel tank so that once you pump it up the pressurised kerosene is delivered to the mantle through a pre-heated tube which vaporises the fuel as it reaches the mantle.

The resulting light is considered by many to be far superior to that produced by propane gas lanterns.

They are rugged lamps which are great for outdoor use as they are guaranteed not to blow out even in very strong winds.

These lamps can still be purchased new from the bigger camping stores or second hand from many of the venues already mentioned but the same possible pitfalls still apply.

Non-pressurised kerosene lamps

Non-pressurised lamps are epitomised by the “Aladdin” brand range.

These lamps also work with a mantle, albeit a different style of mantle to “Tilley” lamps or gas lamps.

The brightness of the light produced by these lamps is astounding considering that it is produced from a round wick burner without the need to pressurise the fuel.

There is a range of new glass and metal “Aladdin” lamps available from a number of authorised outlets (a Google search will find them for you) but the most popular ones are those which were produced in the first half of the twentieth century.

“Aladdin” produced a very wide range of both metal and glass oil lamps which have now become very collectable.

Again, it is possible to find these lamps in any of the second hand venues previously discussed.

For additional information and to understand what to do and what not to do when using internet auction sites to make your purchase refer to: Tips for Buying Oil Lamps on the Internet

There are many reasons why people decide to buy their first oil / kerosene lamp.

Practicality

For some people it is purely practical. They need a non-electric light source that is cost effective, easy to use and gives good illumination.

Period home decorators

Other people come to oil lamps, particularly antique oil lamps, through a desire to decorate their period home in an authentic manner. For these people, the aesthetic appeal is the principal focus.

Investment

Yet other people purchase antique oil lamps as an investment. Age, authenticity, condition, rarity, working order and provenance are all considerations in this category and contribute toward determining the investment value of a lamp.

Memories

There are also a group of people who have fond childhood memories of staying with relatives during school holidays, particularly in rural areas, where the only lighting they had was from kerosene lamps.

Which group do you belong to?

No matter what the reason is for buying your first kerosene lamp, it is highly likely that it won’t be your last purchase.

In the majority of instances, all that is needed to free up the wick is to fill the lamp with enough oil to cover the bottom of the wick and then let it stand for a while so that the wick can draw the oil up. Often it only takes an hour or two to loosen the wick but in some instances it can take a day or so. Once the fibres of the wick have been adequately soaked, the strength of the bond between the wick and the wick tube should be reduced.

The next step depends on the type of burner on your oil lamp and here are some examples.

With earlier style oil lamps such as this one, remove the flame spreader and the burner to expose the wick around the draught tube.

Fully assembled before you start

Burner and flame spreader removed from font

Grip wick on draught tube and twist gently back and forth

Grip the wick with your hand and gently turn it backwards and forwards around the wick tube. If it still won’t move, leave it to soak awhile longer. Once the wick moves freely on the tube you can then test to see if the wick raising mechanism is working properly.

If you decide to remove the wick completely, take particular note of how the wick is secured around the draught tube so that you can re-assemble it correctly.

For later style oil lamps where the wick and the wick raiser is incorporated into the burner, the procedure is a little different.

Fully assembled before you start

Wick is integrated into the burner assembly

Again, remove the flame spreader first. Now unscrew the burner a little then work it backwards and forwards (a little more each time) to free up the wick. Once the wick is free, unscrew the burner and remove it completely from the oil lamp.

For any oil lamp, once the wick has been removed from the draught tube, it often pays to give the tube a light sanding with a fine grade wet & dry or steel wool to remove any build up and will assist in keeping the wick raiser working smoothly.

Re-assemble the oil lamp and the wick raiser should be able to raise and lower the wick smoothly. If it still isn’t free after this time, then generally there is a problem with the wick raising mechanism itself…..but that’s a whole other story.

This book presents 228 numbered color photographs from seven chapters of Volume 2 including kerosene and suspension lamps, lanterns, smoke shades, bells, gas lighting devices, and electric lighting.

(more…)

Review
This is the third volume in a three-volume series by author Catherine Thuro, one of Canada’s leading authorities on early lighting. Her books are highly acclaimed and are considered required reading by collectors.

Oil lamps are showcased in hundreds of black and white and color photographs throughout these pages, with greater emphasis on diversity, trimmings, and the probable placement in the home. Lighting fixtures such as hall, hanging, or bracket lamps reveal that Vi (more…)

Here are several popular types of lamps to consider when decorating a room in your home:

Oil Lamps – Oil lamps can still be bought in many places today. Some are replicas, meaning they don’t actual burn oil to create light, they simply look like the oil lamps of old. Others actually do have a wick and can burn oil. Most people use the actual oil burning lamps for decoration only, and you can even buy colored oil to fill the lamps for an additional decorative touch. 

Table Lamps – Table lamps are wonderful for both decorating and functionality. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, and can really accent specialty decor pieces you might already have. Small table lamps are quite decorative when sat upon a stack of hardback books, and large table lamps make great centerpieces for greenery, knick knack arrangements, or keepsakes.

You’ll want to be careful not to overwhelm small, dainty tables with large, bulky, overbearing lamps though. A solid rustic wood table would easily carry a large wood table lamp, but a small victorian-style side table would do better with a delicate-looking tiffany or hurricane table lamp.

Floor Lamps – Floor lamps are excellent for adding both additional light and style to various areas of your home. I particularly like them in reading areas. Place a nice comfortable chair or divan in the corner for instance, away from the walls a bit, then place a decorative floor lamp in the corner space behind it. This will create a cozy, inviting feel to the space while also providing extra light for reading, writing, or knitting.

Wall Lamps & Lights – Lighting used on the wall varies in style. There’s recessed lights which are helpful and decorative in kitchen areas or bathrooms for instance, and there are wall sconces which are wonderful for adding warmth and ambiance.

For a unique and different look, try creating a wall arrangement using wall sconces instead of candelabras or candle sconces.

Picture Lights – Picture lights are used primarily to highlight pictures and artwork in your home. These work similar to spotlights by focusing the majority of their light on the artwork.

Most are very decorative, and they come in a variety of styles to match whatever your decorating theme might be.

The Pre-electrical Era

The invention and first usage of lamp can be dated back to 70,000 BC. At that time, there was no metal or bronze to make lamps instead the then civilization used hollow rocks and shells. These hollow rocks were filled with moss and other natural substances and then soaked in animal fat. Animal fat acted as oil and this is how the first lamps were ignited.

With the advent of pottery, and the bronze and copper age, humans started to make lamps that imitated other natural shapes. Wicks came into existence much later and were used for controlling the flame or the rate of burning. In the 7th century BC, Greeks started using terra cotta lamps, which replaced the handheld torches. The word “lamp” has been derived from the Greek word “lampas”, which means “torch”.

Design Change

There was a major change in the design of lamps in the 18th century, when the central burner was invented. With the invention of the burner, a separate fuel source was made from metal. Another small change made was the addition of a metal tube that could be adjusted to control the intensity of the flame or light.

This was an important discovery in terms of lighting because with adjustment, humans were able to diminish the lighting or make it bright as required. Another aspect was added to the new lamp, which was in the form of small glass chimneys. The role of the glass chimney was to protect the flame as well as control the air flow.

Swiss chemist Ami Argand used the hollow circular wick in an oil lamp for the very first time in 1783.

Fuels for Lighting

Different kinds of fuels have been used for lighting a lamp between 70,000 BC and now. Most of the early forms of fuel were beeswax, olive oil, animal fat, fish oil, sesame oil, whale oil, nut oil etc. These were also among the most commonly used forms of fuel for lighting a lamp till the late 18th century.

Around 1859, the first drilling process was initiated to find petroleum and with the advent of kerosene, which is a derivative of petroleum, lamp became more popular and usage increased. Kerosene enabled lighting was first introduced in Germany in 1853.

During the same time two other products were used for lamp lighting purposes and they were natural gas and coal. The first use of coal gas lamps was in 1784.

Electrical Lighting Lamps

Lamps have actually come a long way from usage of coal gas to electricity. In 1801, Sir Humphrey Davy of England invented the electric carbon arc lamp, which was the first of its kind. The working principle for this lamp was simple and included hooking of two carbon rods to an electrical source.

The carbon rods were kept at a distance from each other so that electrical current could flow through the arc and thus vaporize carbon to create white lighting. Around 1857, A.E. Becquerel of France came out with the theory of fluorescent lighting in lamps. In the 1870’s, the unthinkable happened with Thomas Edison inventing the first electric incandescent lamp. Since then incandescent lamps were used for lighting purposes in homes till about the early 20th century.

In 1901, Peter Cooper Hewitt patented his new invention, the mercury vapor lamp. This was another type of arc lamp that enhanced lighting using mercury vapors, which were enclosed in a glass bulb. The Mercury vapor lamps set the prototype for fluorescent lighting lamps.

The Neon lamp was invented by Georges Claude of France in 1911 followed by Irving Langmuir, an American who invented the electric gas-filled incandescent lamp in 1915. In 1927, Hans Spanner, Friedrich Meyer, and Edmund Germer patented the first fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent lamps provided better lighting as compared to the mercury vapor lamps because they were coated from inside with beryllium.

Since then we have been using different form of lighting in lamps, which includes Mercury vapors, incandescent lamps and even today, in some corners of the earth people still use the old wick and oil lamp for lighting their homes.

Review
This is the first volume in a three-volume series by author Catherine Thuro, one of Canada’s leading authorities on early lighting. Her books are highly acclaimed and are considered required reading by collectors.

Hundreds of detailed photographs and illustrations are showcased in this beautiful guide ot kerosene oil lamps. Inspired by the process and the people involved in the manufacturing of these marvelous lighting devices, Catherine Thuro has documented extensive h (more…)