very OT question. i found a treasure in the goat shed

[Shayanna]

on top of a cupboard in the shed (i am only 5'3" so thats how i've always missed it), i found an old lamp. looks antique. i would like to use it, but how do i know if it takes lamp oil or kerosene? the only writing on it says made in hong kong. the whole bottom part is either brass or copper. anybody know alot about these things? sorry i cant do pics from my phone. i figure this could be useful for late night kidding checks?

[Nancy_in_GA]

I have a collection of about 20 old oil lamps, some are antiques, but couldn't tell you much about yours without a picture. If it says Hong Kong on the bottom is probably isn't an antique, but could be 30-40 years old. The main way to tell if it's really old is to look at how the burner is made. If the burner is attached to something that looks like a jar lid that screws on the glass, it isn't that old. If the burner screws down into a permanent metal collar on the glass it is an antique.

If it has a wick in an oil basin and a burner with a knob, then it will certainly take lamp oil. I believe lamp oil is just refined Kerosene, made to cut down on the soot and odor that burning kerosene produces.

[where I want to]

Nancy in Ga- Do you have knowledge of a lamp that is just a glass reservoir base with a wick coming through a metal cone that is screwed on? No way to advance the wick mechanically so I have no idea how to work with it. I received this years ago as a gift and have never had the nerve to try it. It's very well made.

[Nancy_in_GA]

Where I want to: Do you have a picture? Is it something like the one below (not mine, just an image from the web)?

That is a very old whale oil lamp. Some had a hole in the side of the cone. You were supposed to insert a pick in the side and inch the wick up (high tech, huh?). Some had wheels to raise the wick. Many had a metal cap attached on a chain that went over the wick to put out the flame.

I think you can use lamp oil in them also.

[where I want to]

Yes- but no hole on the cone- it's solid. I can't see any way of raising the wick once it's lit. Any idea?

[Nancy_in_GA]

Then I guess you were just suppose to yank the wick up while it wasn't lit. I don't have any whale oil lamps. If it's a true whale oil lamp it is really old. But it could be some kind of reproduction. Is the bottom made of glass or metal?

If there are threads inside the bottom part, supposedly you can screw out the old burner and buy a regular burner, with a wheel, to put on it. New burners are not real expensive. But that would destroy what makes it unique. Not worth it unless the bottom is really nice.

[Zilli]

FYI - I use kerosene in all my lamps (antique, new, and anything in between).

It is much cheaper than lamp oil, but it does make the house smell like kerosene.

[Clovers_Clan]

Try looking it up on eBay using as much descriptive information as you can measurements, makers mark, materials etc. Its amazing what you can find.

[Nancy_in_GA]

Originally Posted by Clovers_Clan

... Its amazing what you can find.

Yep, that's where I got all of mine.