An Oversimplified History of Lamps

By Dean Six

Lighting changed little for centuries, even millennia. Prior to 1800 torches, candles and crude lamps restricted people and their activities to the natural daylight hours. Lamps had existed in the same form since pre-historic times when a shallow spot in a rock or crafted into a body of clay held animal fat or grease, tallow or a naturally found oil and some form of natural wicking device such as straw or fiber—simple lamps indeed. By Colonial times lamps were often of iron, tin and steel, the least likely to break or combust materials. They were known as Betty lamps and included no glass. Fuel could be as simple as pine pitch or animal fats.

The first metal burners, devices to hold the wicks, were introduced in the 1700s. Glass chimneys were first employed in the 1700s to protect the flame and control the air flow. In 1783 a Swiss chemist, Ami Argand, applied scientific ideas and developed a hollow circular wick surrounded by a glass chimney. The appearance of glass chimneys on lamps was not common until the 1800s. With Argand’s innovations, the era of successful lamps had begun. The Argand ideas are today recognized as the basic principal behind such successfully styled lamps as Aladdin lamps.

Brewster Store Lamp Parts, Shades and Chimneys

Whether you need shades, chimneys, plugs and collars, or other hard-to-find hardware for your oil lamp, the Brewster Store’s large assortment can fill your needs. We also have a large assortment of complete oil lamps available in a range of prices.

Either order online if you know exactly what you need or call us at 508-896-3744 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET for assistance in ordering your lamp or lamp parts. When calling please have the lamp in front of you and a ruler. We will special order parts for you that we do not currently have in stock.