THIS ALCOHOL LAMP IS SIMILAR TO AN OIL LAMP.  IT CONSISTS OF A SIMPLE CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER OF LIGHT METAL (RESEMBLING A TEA KETTLE), PAINTED WITH BLACK ENAMEL (ITEM A).  THE LID OF THIS KETTLE (WHICH IS SECURELY FASTENED TO THE BODY AND NOT REMOVABLE) GENTLY SLOPES UPWARD TO A ROUND UPPER OPENING.  AN ELABORATE FINIAL-SHAPED BRASS WICK TUBE (ITEM B) SCREWS INTO THIS OPENING, TOPPED BY A TINY (1 CM LONG) STOPPER SECURED BY A THIN CHAIN. ON THE SIDE OF THE WICK TUBE IS A SCREW-SHAPED SWITCH FOR ADJUSTING THE LIGHT. THE SWITCH IS ENGRAVED WITH THE MARK "PAT(ENT) JUNE 23 1863."  THERE IS A LOOPED HANDLE LIKE THAT OF A COFFEE CUP ON THE LAMP'S SIDE.

THE ADJUSTABLE BURNING-FLUID LAMP WAS INVENTED BY THE SWISS CHEMIST FRANCOIS-PIERRE AMI ARGAND; FOR THAT REASON, THESE LAMPS WERE CALLED ARGAND LAMPS.  ALCOHOL LAMPS LIKE THIS ONE (KNOWN AS "CAMPHENE LAMPS") USED A MIXTURE OF ALCOHOL AND TURPENTINE FOR FUEL, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE MORE-EXPENSIVE WHALE OIL.  THEY BURNED WELL AND EASILY DUE TO THE FUEL'S FLUID VISCOSITY, BUT THE VOLATILE MIX WAS DANGEROUS (THE WRITERS OF THE 1857 GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK SAID: "WE CONSIDER IT SUICIDAL TO HAVE CAMPHENE LAMPS IN A HOUSE.").  LONGER WICK TUBES WERE INTENDED TO REDUCE THE DANGER BY KEEPING THE FUEL RESERVOIR AND THE FLAME FARTHER APART. THE STOPPER WAS INTENDED TO KEEP THE FUEL FROM EVAPORATING. THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY AND KEROSENE REPLACED THIS KIND OF BURNING-FLUID LAMP AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

THE PAINT ON THE LID HAS LARGELY PEELED AWAY.

SOURCE:

MOSS, ROGER W.  LIGHTING FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.  WASHINGTON, DC:  NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, 1988.

 CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE MUSEUM CATALOGING PAGE.   CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LAMP ABOVE BY ITSELF.