Whale Oil Lamps Photos

The use of whale oil and consequently the widespread manufacture of appropriate lamps in America expanded in the early 1800s. Whale oil lamps can be identified, because they did not require a glass chimney like other types of oil and kerosene lamps. Whale oil lamps usually were topped by two metal cones to support the flame.

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Native American whale oil lamp made of concave rock at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Whale oil lamp at Medad Stone Tavern Museum. Guilford, CT.Tin whale oil lamp in Garrison house at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.Oil lamp at General Daniel Bissell House. St. Louis, MO.
Native American whale oil lamp made of concave rock at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Whale oil lamp at Medad Stone Tavern Museum. Guilford, CT.Tin whale oil lamp in Garrison house at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.Oil lamp at General Daniel Bissell House. St. Louis, MO.
Whale oil chandelier in kitchen at Craik-Patton House. Charleston, WV.Lamp with magnifying lenses at General Daniel Bissell House. St. Louis, MO.Collection of American whale-oil lamps at Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn, NY.Collection of candlesticks & lamps at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.
Whale oil chandelier in kitchen at Craik-Patton House. Charleston, WV.Lamp with magnifying lenses at General Daniel Bissell House. St. Louis, MO.Collection of American whale-oil lamps at Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn, NY.Collection of candlesticks & lamps at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.
Collection of New England glass whale oil lamps at Bennington Museum. Bennington, VT.Candlesticks & whale oil lamps at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.Collection of whale oil lamps with two wick system discovered by Benjamin Franklin at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Whale oil lamp at Isham-Terry House Museum. Hartford, CT.
Collection of New England glass whale oil lamps (1830-40) at Bennington Museum. Bennington, VT.Candlesticks & whale oil lamps at Woodman Museum. Dover, NH.Collection of whale oil lamps (early 19thC) with two wick system discovered by Benjamin Franklin at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Whale oil lamp at Isham-Terry House Museum. Hartford, CT.
Pressed glass whale oil lamp in Lyre pattern by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co., Sandwich, MA at DAR Memorial Continental Hall Museum. Washington, DC.Whale oil lamps at Florence Griswold Museum. Old Lyme, CT.Pressed lacy base glass lamps with free-blown bulb-shaped fonts cut with grape pattern by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Whale oil lamp with sperm oil by Gorham Mfg. Co. of Providence, RI at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.
Pressed glass whale oil lamp in Lyre pattern (1850-75) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co., Sandwich, MA at DAR Memorial Continental Hall Museum. Washington, DC.Whale oil lamps at Florence Griswold Museum. Old Lyme, CT.Pressed lacy base glass lamps with free-blown bulb-shaped fonts cut with grape pattern (1828-35) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Whale oil lamp with sperm oil (1840-70) by Gorham Mfg. Co. of Providence, RI at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.
Whale oil lamp at Deep River Museum. Deep River, CT.Whale oil lamp at Kellum-Noble House at Sam Houston Park. Houston, TX.Oil lamps at Baldwin House Museum in Lahaina. Maui, HI.Whale oil lamps & candles for use by artist guests at Florence Griswold Museum. Old Lyme, CT.
Whale oil lamp at Deep River Museum. Deep River, CT.Whale oil lamp at Kellum-Noble House at Sam Houston Park. Houston, TX.Oil lamps at Baldwin House Museum in Lahaina. Maui, HI.Whale oil lamps & candles for use by artist guests at Florence Griswold Museum. Old Lyme, CT.
Glass tumblers from Germany which belonged to Confederate President Jefferson Davis; glass gin decanter ; & pressed glass whale oil lamp n Kentucky period parlor at DAR Memorial Continental Hall. Washington, DC.Glass whale oil lamp at Denison Homestead Museum. Stonington, CT.New England glass whale oil lamp at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass whale oil lamp filler at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
Glass tumblers (c1850) from Germany which belonged to Confederate President Jefferson Davis; glass gin decanter (1780-1820); & pressed glass whale oil lamp (c1840) n Kentucky period parlor (1830-40) at DAR Memorial Continental Hall. Washington, DC.Glass whale oil lamp at Denison Homestead Museum. Stonington, CT.New England glass whale oil lamp (early 19thC) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass whale oil lamp filler (1812-30) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
American glass lamp with drip pan from New England & pressed glass lamp at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass bedside lamps from New England & pressed glass lamp & at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American white glass whale oil lamps by New England Glass Co. of Cambridge, MA at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American white glass whale oil lamps by New England Glass Co. of Cambridge, MA at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
American glass lamp with drip pan (1812-30) from New England & pressed glass lamp (1840-60) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass bedside lamps from New England & pressed glass lamp (1827-35) & (1820-30) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American white glass whale oil lamps (1830-40) by New England Glass Co. of Cambridge, MA at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American white glass whale oil lamps (1830-40) by New England Glass Co. of Cambridge, MA at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
American glass engraved lamps by Bakewell, Page & Bakewell at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass double whale oil lamp from New England at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.Star & punty pattern green glass kerosene lamps at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Glass whale oil lamps at Lyman Allyn Art Museum. New London, CT.
American glass engraved lamps (1815-40) by Bakewell, Page & Bakewell at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.American glass double whale oil lamp (1857-70) from New England at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.Star & punty pattern green glass kerosene lamps (mid 19thC) at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Glass whale oil lamps (19thC) at Lyman Allyn Art Museum. New London, CT.
Pressed glass vases & oil lamp by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. of Sandwich, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.American pressed glass whale oil amps at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Pressed circle & ellipse glass lamps by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. or McKee & Brother of Pittsburgh at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Collection of colored glass blown & cut lamps most by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.
Pressed glass vases & oil lamp (1840-60) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. of Sandwich, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.American pressed glass whale oil amps (1845-70) at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Pressed circle & ellipse glass lamps (1840-50) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. or McKee & Brother of Pittsburgh at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Collection of colored glass blown & cut lamps most by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.
Collection of colored cut overlay glass lamps by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Detail of American cut glass lamp at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Collection of colored cut double overlay glass lamps by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Cut overlay glass lamp in Washington cut pattern with pressed base by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.
Collection of colored cut overlay glass lamps by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Detail of American cut glass lamp at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Collection of colored cut double overlay glass lamps (c1855-80) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.Cut overlay glass lamp in Washington cut pattern with pressed base (c1860-87) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.
Cut double overlay glass lamp in star & quatrefoil design with pressed gem base by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.American blown & cut glass lamps at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Whale oil lamp with green glass dome at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.New England glass whale oil lamp at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
Cut double overlay glass lamp in star & quatrefoil design with pressed gem base (1860-80) by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. at Sandwich Glass Museum. Sandwich, MA.American blown & cut glass lamps (1865-75) at Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk, VA.Whale oil lamp with green glass dome at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.New England glass whale oil lamp (early 19thC) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.
Side table with whale oil lamp in Conklin House at Old Bethpage Village. Old Bethpage, NY.Redware jar , cast metal coffee pot by Hiram Yale & Co. , mustard tin , native basket , shelf clock , redware cake mold , salt-glazed jug by Abraham Mead, stoneware preserve jar , & pewter whale oil lamp at Connecticut Historical Society. Hartford, CT.Whale oil products like soap, shoe paste, lamp oil, candles at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.Whale oil NyOil for lubricating, polishing, cleaning & preventing rust at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.
Side table with whale oil lamp in Conklin House at Old Bethpage Village. Old Bethpage, NY.Redware jar (early 1800s), cast metal coffee pot by Hiram Yale & Co. (1824-35), mustard tin (c1858), native basket (c1840-50), shelf clock (c1809-49), redware cake mold (early 1800s), salt-glazed jug (1791) by Abraham Mead, stoneware preserve jar (late 1800s), & pewter whale oil lamp (1830-60) at Connecticut Historical Society. Hartford, CT.Whale oil products like soap, shoe paste, lamp oil, candles at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.Whale oil NyOil for lubricating, polishing, cleaning & preventing rust (1896-1906) at New Bedford Whaling Museum. New Bedford, MA.
Whale oil product bottles at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Sperm oil varnish can from Long Island City, NY at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Work table , glass pitcher & tumbler, whale tooth, telescope, whale oil lamp, & oil lamp filler with long spout in California period parlor at DAR Memorial Continental Hall. Washington, DC.Oil lamp on desk at Johnston Farm. Piqua, OH.
Whale oil product bottles at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Sperm oil varnish can from Long Island City, NY at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Work table (1830-40), glass pitcher & tumbler, whale tooth, telescope, whale oil lamp, & oil lamp filler with long spout in California period parlor at DAR Memorial Continental Hall. Washington, DC.Oil lamp on desk at Johnston Farm. Piqua, OH.
Oil lamps at Monument House Museum. Groton, CT.Collection of lamps & other objects at Jeremiah Lee Mansion. Marblehead, MA.Collection of pressed glass whale oil lamps recognizable by pairs of V wicks & lack of chimney glass as found in kerosene lamps at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Pressed glass "Waisted loop" whale oil lamps with two or four wicks by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. of Sandwich, MA at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.
Oil lamps (c1830) at Monument House Museum. Groton, CT.Collection of lamps & other objects at Jeremiah Lee Mansion. Marblehead, MA.Collection of pressed glass whale oil lamps (1800s-60s) recognizable by pairs of V wicks & lack of chimney glass as found in kerosene lamps at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Pressed glass "Waisted loop" whale oil lamps (1840-50) with two or four wicks by Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. of Sandwich, MA at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.
Pressed glass harp or lyre pattern whale oil lamp by unknown at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.


Pressed glass harp or lyre pattern whale oil lamp (1840-70) by unknown at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.


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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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