Gone With the Wind Lamps - From Oil Lamps to Hurricane Lamps

Gone With the Wind Lamps - From Oil Lamps to Hurricane Lamps

Oil Lamps in their most antique range were nothing more than an open vessel of some kind filled with an oil-based fuel and a partly submerged absorbent wick material. When lit they supplied light and safety to antique man. Archaeological finds prove that prehistoric man used a kind of oil lamp about 20,000 years ago.

Accessible materials such as terracotta or shells were used and the wick was nothing more than an absorbent material to submerge in the oil, like the Diya. Oil lamps were uncomplicated and made from anyone material that was on hand. Wicks may well have been fibers of flax, hemp or cotton which was twisted. The Diya is an excellent example. Native to India, Diyas are and have been used in Sikh, Jain and Hindu religious events like Diwali. Over time, attractive metal and terra cotta oil lamps were created.

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Simple oil lamps have advanced over time. The ample found was the similar but the vessel that held the oil had a nozzle added to hold the wick and a cavity to pour in the oil on top to separate the oil pool from the flame. A cope was added for carrying and from time to time holes were added to help hang up the lamp. In addition there was often a palmette where your thumb might be located to stabilize the lamp when it was being carried.

Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to enclose the flame of an oil lamp in a glass chimney back in the 15th century. He found this helped to shield the flame from the wind and eradicate the flicker. In 1780 Aime Argand invented an oil lamp that had a tubular wick installed sandwiched in the middle of a pair of concentric cylindrical metal tubes so that air is channeled straight through the middle of the wick, as well as exterior of it. This enhanced the glow of the flame and less smoke was generated. This revising served to cause more faultless combustion of the wick, which, in turn, needed much less snuffing (trimming down). Argand's style of lamp along with scores of variations of it were used well into the 20th century. The creation of the light bulb by Thomas Edison took over but the basic style of this lamp, even though it used electric, remained the same. These types of lamps are often referred to as hurricane lamps.

Today's hurricane lamps often have a chimney to make them look more authentic. One incredibly well-liked lamp style is called the "Gone With The Wind Lamp" named after the Academy Award winning movie. As beautiful as the movie sets that featured them, Gone With The Wind lamps commonly have matching painted flower designs on the base and shade.

Gone With the Wind Lamps - From Oil Lamps to Hurricane Lamps

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