Researching candle lamps:

[Spinster]

Miss Betty,

Lets back up a step or two and think about what became 'dear' in your part of the country and when.

You're thinking of candles as a back up to oil lamps. But the makings of candles, whether spermaceti or beeswax, became dear in the south fairly early in the war.

Vicki Betts illustrated this shortage, and the lengths folks went to save candle wax quite well in her article The Model Economical Candle
http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts/candle.htm

Having tended more than one of these, I can say that the wick must be moved so often that a globe would be wasted effort.

So, in looking for a backup lighting source, look to cheaper oils, or those that do not burn as well, rather than candles. The miserable twist of wick in a saucer of pork fat , or the rank smoke of a pine knot, is far more likely than the gentle glow of a candle under glass.

And failing all those poor substitutes, enjoy the fire light, and go on to bed. Sun rise comes soon enough.

[Spinster]

I am thinking about animal fat or fish oil as something that might have been used when/if whale and lamp oil became uncommon. I am wondering how one might put such a lantern together from materials that one might have on hand with period techniques. I am also wondering if the description of lamps stinking were because they were using an alternate fuel source.

Okay, I've read this again, and I see where you are attempting to go.

What you are looking for is a slightly earlier technology that I know as a 'pan lamp'. It has all the earmarks of a 'make do'--it stinks, and its messy.

A spike nail about 5 inches long has a chain suspended from it. At the end of the chain is a metal pan about 3 inches square. The sides are folded up in such a way as to make 4 small pointed corners and a depressed center. Wicks lay across and stick out each corner. ANIMAL fat or VEGETABLE fat (not lamp oil) is poured in the pan, and the wicks are lit. Pretty decent light, but as the oil warms and expands, its going to drip on the floor some.

One version I have of this lamp would be easily made with scrap metal, once the concept was known. I also have a very sophistocated version of the same concept, circa 1790, that is a rather ominous looking bird perched over the pan than serves as an oil reservoir.

[Memphis]

Potato lamps, Betty lamps, and the good old sardine can lamps come to mind.

[GrumpyDave]

I'd guess keeping the kids and your clothing out of a burning candle was a pretty common occourance in the 1860's. Same with the stove or fireplace. I think, because of the means of construction of the time period, glass chimney's would have been relatively expensive.


"Turning attention to the price data, we may note first how expensive whale oil was in comparison with the crude oil that replaced it. Even at its lowest historical prices, in the 1820s, the least expensive type of oil (whale oil) was priced at more than $200 (2003$) a barrel (42 gallons). At its highest price level (1855) Sperm Whale oil sold at more than $35 (2003$) a gallon, namely almost $1500 (2003$) a barrel (!). " - http://www.aspoitalia.net/aspoenglis.../whaleoil.html


Common sense is the best route to take. I'm not saying, it's not possible, that some driven individual didn't make something out of shingles, glass and bailing wire so his kids didn't get into the candle, I just don't think there's any documentation such an item existed.

BTW, I have one of the afformentioned lamps in my collection.

[Rob Weaver]

Injuries and even death from lamp accidents were extremely common during the entire period during whic they were used. They were very justifiably frightened by fire. I'l give you a horrifying example: Henry W Longfellow and his wife were reading by candlelight when the candle somehow ignited her dress. She was wearing a number of crinoline petticoats and she went up like a torch before her husband's eyes. She did not survive. Henry wrote: "And in despair I bowed my head/'There is no peace of earth' I said./ For hate is strong and mocks the song/ of peace of earth, goodwill to men." Her death was one of the things which propelled him into that dark state of mind. "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep/'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep.'/ The wrong shall fail, the right prevail/ With peace on earth, goodwill to men."

I would recommend to anyone using lamps to exercise more caution than you normally would. Even when we burn candles in our homes, it's rarely with the extra highly flammable things like long sleeves, dresses, straw, etc to ignite. For this reason I would not recommend actually using a slush lamp except for very short demonstrations. They flash over pretty easily, and there's a lot of stuff for them to burn. Even sardine oil is hard to stamp out before it catches one of those bits of tinder above described. That horrifing bit of history I'd rather avoid.

[MrsArmstrong]

What type of lighting would have been used outside as apposed to inside lighting? What would be the difference for outside but about your own property and when traveling short distances, if your walking?
Susan in the dark Armstrong ;p

[hanktrent]

Walking outside on your own property, if there's any moon at all, probably wouldn't require much light since you'd know it so well, unless you were going into an outbuilding, needed to check something, etc.

If carrying a light was necessary, I'd say the classic rectangular tin lantern, either oil or candle, would be most common. Anyone have other suggestions? Couple of examples:

http://images.library.uiuc.edu:8081/...PTR=2160&REC=5

http://www.osv.org/learning/Collecti....php?N=3.2.330

If night lighting was really important to you, the upgraded version with all the bells and whistles was this, a bullseye or dark lantern:

http://www.osv.org/learning/Collecti....php?N=3.2.262

Lens to focus the beam, shield to make it darker or brighter... I want one of those, but they'd really only be appropriate for law enforcement, slave catchers, night watchmen, naval or military use, etc.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Spinster]

Walking outside on your own property, if there's any moon at all, probably wouldn't require much light since you'd know it so well, unless you were going into an outbuilding, needed to check something, etc.

Hank makes an excellent point here. For the past couple of years, when packing for an event, the first thing I do is check the almanac. If I've got a half moon or better, the various lighting devices stay home, except for one in the 'emergency category'.

This works well as long as the event has reasonable standards, and folks get there and parked rather than driving around camps with the brights on looking for the "14th Nagauscukett Highland Regimentals" and blowing up my carefully established night vision.

Folks of the period were well accustomed to the phases of the moon, and the uses thereof. With glasses, a full moon and a clear night, I can read the Leslies. With my cane, I can walk a dirt road if the moon is past a quarter. And I knit in the dark anyways. My main failing in this task is not making sure my bed is straight well before dark.

With thought, practice, and foresight, we just don't need near as much light at night as we think we do.

[vmescher]

Ms Mescher:
Thank you for doing the patent search. Can you tell me about what fluids were burned other then whale oil, lamp oil and kerosene in lanterns?

I am thinking about animal fat or fish oil as something that might have been used when/if whale and lamp oil became uncommon. I am wondering how one might put such a lantern together from materials that one might have on hand with period techniques. I am also wondering if the description of lamps stinking were because they were using an alternate fuel source.

Thank you for your assistance.
Respectfully,
Betty Morgan

Betty,

In researching ledgers, I saw very little whale oil was being sold by the 1860s. Burning fluid (camphene) and kerosene was the predominate lamp fuel sold. Candles were much more commonally sold.

From glancing at the various patents specific lanterns used a specific fuel and were not interchangeable unless the lamp parts could be exchanged. Lamps were sold in pieces so that the parts could be replaced when they were damaged or broken. Ledgers show, even after lamps were common, candles sold better than the lamps or fuel.

When whale oil lamps (needed two or three small wicks) went out of style, the mechanism that held the wicks may could have been exchanged for the one flat kerosene wick if the wick holder would fit the whale oil lamp. It seems oil was discovered whale oil and the use of whale oil lamps plumeted. I haven't done any research on the camphene lamps except to know that the fuel and lamps were extremely dangerous.

Tallow, whale oil, lard, all smelled pretty bad when burned. They smoked and produced soot. Tallow candles guttered and sputtered and the wicks had to be trimmed quite often. Whale oil smelled and sooted. Lard and scrap grease all smelled like burned grease when used. Of course with all the other smells that people were used to, one or two more really didn't matter.

Lard, scrap grease (Betty lamps), button lamps and the like were used but could be dangerous so I would not recommend using them. Vicki Betts has made and show others how to make the Confederate economical candle but that was used more for a night light and like the other open flames can be dangerous.

It might be best if you would use pierced tin lantern with a candle. That is safe, period, and easily obtainable. There are some very good reproductions out there.

Old Sturbridge Village has an extensive exhibit on lighting and they might be able to assist your study.

[hanktrent]

Another less-explosive option to camphene was the Kinnear patent lard lamp. This lard oil wasn't for your open Betty lamp kind of thing, but was refined and sold for tin lamps specifically made for the purpose, with an enclosed reservoir and a very wide flat wick (1-1/2" to 2" wide). Refined lard oil is available today as a cutting oil.

I'm curious about the pierced tin lantern's popularity by the 1860s. Glass was getting cheaper and offered more light. How commonly do the pierced tin "Paul Revere" style lanterns show up in period images, vs. the glass-paned kind of lanterns? Would using the pierced tin kind indicate "really backward hick," or would it be "common for most country folk" or "PEC for everyone"?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net