T his month at I was lucky enough to get at auction a U.S. Lighthouse Service “Table Lamp” with chimney. The lamp dates from about the 1880’s into the 20th Century.
The lamp measures 13” high (about 21” to the top of the chimney) and is marked “TABLE LAMP” on brass cartouche applied to side of tank. On some of this style of lamp, the base is marked “U.S. LIGHT HOUSE SERVICE” while others have no marking. The lamp accepts a cylindrical wick about 1” in diameter. These lights were modifications of the Funck lamp design. The stand and the burner are the same as in a Funck 4th order lamp, the only thing different is the oil reservoir itself in that it has a different shape and holds less fuel than a Funck lamp used inside a lens. This lamp would have been used from about the 1880s into the 1940s or so. I have only seen this style Lighthouse Service lamp available a few times on the market before, and have seen only one other in a museum.
The Table Lamp is listed and shown in the United States Light House Establishment. “Price List of Standard Articles (for Lighthouse Purposes) Furnished from General Depot, Thompkinsville, New York. 1901”. This publication was used for budgeting purposes in the Light House Establishment. I believe that the value of items delivered to light stations from the depot were deducted from the station’s budget based upon the cost indicated in this publication. This lamp is listed as “Table lamp (fifth-order burners and chimneys), at a cost for budget purposes of $5.50.
These lamps were probably provided for the keeper’s house at offshore and remote stations, and possibly one or more to supplement the keeper’s lamps at other light stations, although keepers many times supplied their own lights and furniture at stations that were accessible. The Keeper’s Annual Property Return form #30 includes this lamp, listed as “Lamp, table stand”. These lamps may have been used at the desk in the light tower watch room below the lantern as well.
Another wonderful item just in is a great view taken in 1925 at Woods Hole Lighthouse Depot on Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1925. The rare view shows two lightships moored at the pier, with “three generations” of lightship lighting visible in the one photograph.
At the base of the far mast is an early lantern with 8 oil lamps with reflectors. The entire lantern was lowered to the deck at dawn to fill and clean the lamps and chimneys, as you can see here. At dusk, the lamps were lit and raised up the mast by a winch.
At the base of the near mast is a later arrangement, consisting of three oil lens lanterns on gimbals. The lanterns contained a Fresnel drum lens with an oil lamp inside. Again, the entire set was lowered to the deck at dawn to fill and clean the lamps and chimneys, then the lamps lit and raised up the mast by a winch at dusk. In this photo, this was likely the backup for the still newer AGA (American Gas Accumulator) lantern seen here on the mast head. This AGA lantern could be lit using either acetylene or electricity. In this case, it appears that electricity from a generator may be in use, as it appears that wires lead from the lantern down the mast. Note too the Captain in his Lighthouse Service uniform standing on the ratlines near the deck.
I think that you will agree that this is a wonderful photo view.
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Jim Claflin is a recognized authority on antiques of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service and early Coast Guard. In addition to authoring and publishing a number of books on the subject, Jim is the owner of Kenrick A Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques. In business since 1956, he has specialized in antiques of this type since the early 1990s. He may be contacted by writing to him at 1227 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01602, or by calling 508-792-6627. You may also contact him by email: jclaflin@LighthouseAntiques.net or visit his web site at: www.LighthouseAntiques.net
This story appeared in the
May/Jun 2014 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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