ANTIQUE GREASE LAMPS

Matched pair, evidently dating to the Civil War period or a little later. Made in the traditional way but the back spines, hooks and chains are fabricated from commercial stock, rather than hand hammered. Skillfully made with elegant spade form reservoirs with double hinged half lids. 8 å?‰۝ height plus the chain and hook. Most original blackened finish intact. By the mid-19th century, kerosene was replacing whale oil as a household lighting fuel. In some rural areas, grease (pig fat) was used as it was basically free and hard money was scarce. It is our conclusion that these lamps were made and used in Appalachia, probably after the Civil War. It is notable that while earlier hand wrought examples turn up from time to time, we have never encountered examples comparable to these. Each.