Kerosene lamps from the 19th century represent a significant development in lighting technology and played a crucial role in illuminating homes, businesses, and streets during that era. Kerosene is also known as liquid paraffin.

Prior to the introduction of kerosene lamps, lighting options were limited to candles, oil lamps, or gas lamps. Candles were the most common source of light, but they were expensive, produced limited illumination, and posed a significant fire hazard. Oil lamps, fueled by various vegetable oils, were an improvement over candles, but they were still prone to smoke, odor, and the risk of fire. The arrival of kerosene lamps in the mid-19th century marked a turning point in lighting technology.

Kerosene, a flammable hydrocarbon liquid derived from petroleum, became a popular fuel for lamps due to its clean-burning properties and relatively low cost. Kerosene lamps were more efficient and produced a brighter, steadier light more...

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An Electrified Bayeux porcelain lamp base, probably Bayeux,…

19th Century Electrified Bayeux Porcelain Lamp Base, Cherub Decoration

An Electrified Bayeux porcelain lamp base, probably Bayeux, 19th century the fine electrified oil lamp with a French plug, urn form with a domed foot and cover, hand decorated with a cherub in celestial landscape in oval reserve, a floral bouquet to the…

An Electrified ceramic kerosene lamp, late 19th century the…

An Electrified ceramic kerosene lamp, late 19th century the faience base with a Japanesque transfer scene of storks and trees in bloom, with cast bronze mounts, glass chimney and a frosted glass etched shade in the form of a tulip, wired for electricity.…

An antique French banquet oil lamp with bronze mounted base on…

An antique French banquet oil lamp with bronze mounted base on facetted milk glass with hobnail crystal font, double burner, chimney and crimson glass shade, 19th century, 104 cm high overall

A French marble and glass kerosene lamp, late 19th century with…

French Marble and Glass Kerosene Lamp

A French marble and glass kerosene lamp, late 19th century with a square stepped gilt bronze base decorated with rais-de-c?ur border, supporting a slightly tapering marble stem in cream and brown tones with cast bronze Corinthian capital, leading to a…

An Impressive pair of English glass banquet lamps with ormolu…

English Glass Banquet Lamps with Ormolu Corinthian Columns

An Impressive pair of English glass banquet lamps with ormolu mounted Corinthian columns and original gadroon moulded fonts, and Hink's patent burners, circa 1890, 85 cm high 21 cm diameter

A pair of French spelter and bronze kerosene lamps, late 19th…

French Neoclassical Kerosene Lamps with Bronze Mounts

A pair of French spelter and bronze kerosene lamps, late 19th century, the neoclassical style cast spelter waisted urn form bases with bronze decorative mounts, twin-handles and collar, all raised on scrolled legs, with electrical conversion, burner…

Three Victorian neo-classical figural bronze oil lamps, three…

Victorian Bronze Nymph Oil Lamps - Set of Three

Three Victorian neo-classical figural bronze oil lamps, three Victorian neo-classical figural bronze oil lamps, each base in the form of a nymph, the largest 40 cm high

An antique banquet lamp, gilt bronze cherub column on green…

Gilt Cherub Banquet Lamp with Vaseline Glass Shade

An antique banquet lamp, gilt bronze cherub column on green onyx base with white button double burner and yellow vaseline glass shade, 19th century, 78 cm high

A pair of Regency bronze argand table lamps, the reservoir…

Regency Bronze Argand Table Lamps with Prismatic Drops

A pair of Regency bronze argand table lamps, the reservoir capped by lotus and birds, hung with prismatic drops, raised on triform base, frosted glass shade, fitted for electricity. Height 44 cm.

A pair of cornucopia argand lamps, in the manner of Thomas…

Bronze Boar Cornucopia Argand Lamps

A pair of cornucopia argand lamps, in the manner of Thomas Messenger & Sons, depicting a boar, bronze cornucopia formed lamp with boar head below an urn-shaped reservoir, vertical burners, in the manner of Thomas messenger. With associated glass shades.…

A good pair of French heavily embossed gilt bronze Carcel lamps.…

French Gilt Bronze Carcel Lamps, Circa 1850

A good pair of French heavily embossed gilt bronze Carcel lamps. Circa 1850. The body depicting mask heads and scroll work with key wind base. No key. Height 80 cm.

A pair of William IV ormolu two light argand lamps, each with…

William IV Ormolu Argand Lamps with Dragon Base

A pair of William IV ormolu two light argand lamps, each with an ovoid urn-shaped reservoir above the foliate branches supporting frosted shades, on a scroll, rocaille and flower cast tripartite pedestal base surmounted by three dragons. (2), height 51 cm…

Charles X bronze hanging oil lamp, c. 1830, electrified,…

Charles X Bronze Oil Lamp (1830) - Electrified

Charles X bronze hanging oil lamp, c. 1830, electrified, missing glass shades, height 54 cm. Provenance: The Estate of Martyn Cook, Sydney

A pair of bronze and green glass banquet lamps, 19th century,…

Bronze and Green Glass Banquet Lamps, 19th Century

A pair of bronze and green glass banquet lamps, 19th century, in the exotic taste with cast relief borders, the base with a waisted stem, and a compressed lower register raised on a spreading base with extended leaf, and whorl feet, a chartreuse font with…

Eight kerosene lamps with bronze & pewter finish, two sizes…

Bronze and Pewter Kerosene Lamps - Two Sizes Available

Eight kerosene lamps with bronze & pewter finish, two sizes (recommended retail $30 each), height 20 - 28 cm

A pair of classical revival darkly patinated bronze oil lamps,…

Bronze Grecian Boar Head Oil Lamps

A pair of classical revival darkly patinated bronze oil lamps, in the form of Grecian boar's head 'Rhytons'. Electrified. English circa 1880. 31 x 33 x 15 cm

A Second Empire oil lamp, the base in gilt and patinated bronze…

Gilt Bronze Putti Oil Lamp with Etched Glass Shade

A Second Empire oil lamp, the base in gilt and patinated bronze in the form of a putti on a neoclassical column with floral garlands, with an acid etched pink glass shade and clear glass flu and oil well. French circa 1870. 73 x 15 cm

A pair of French 19th century oil lamps, Madeleine Castaing,…

French 19th Century Floral Oil Lamps with Ormolu Mounts

A pair of French 19th century oil lamps, Madeleine Castaing, Galerie Etienne Thuriet Now electrified, of baluster form with pink ground and reserve of floral spray, with ormolu mounts, 81 cm high

A pair of French Electrified tole oil lamps by Brevete, circa…

French Electrified Tole Oil Lamps with Ormolu Stands, 1890

A pair of French Electrified tole oil lamps by Brevete, circa 1890, each on ormolu stand, with shade and silk cord 75 cm high 29 1/2in high). (2)

Small Victorian kerosene lamp, ruby cut bowl with frosted…

Victorian Ruby Kerosene Lamp with Frosted Shade and Onyx Column

Small Victorian kerosene lamp, ruby cut bowl with frosted decorated shade on an ormolu and onyx column, 46 cm high

Exceptional quality Victorian banquet kerosene lamp, green…

Victorian Green Frosted Kerosene Lamp with Vaseline Shade

Exceptional quality Victorian banquet kerosene lamp, green frosted decorated bowl with a green vaseline glass shade on an exquisite quality ormolu and green marble base, height 72 cm to top of shade

Exceptional quality Victorian banquet kerosene lamp, ruby cut…

Victorian Ruby Cut Kerosene Lamp with Frosted Shade

Exceptional quality Victorian banquet kerosene lamp, ruby cut bowl and frosted cameo cut shade on ormolu and marble column base., height 69 cm to top of shade

A rare Nailsea glass Art Nouveau kerosene lamp with matching…

Art Nouveau Nailsea Glass Kerosene Lamp with Matching Shade

A rare Nailsea glass Art Nouveau kerosene lamp with matching shade, on an ormolu and Art Nouveau base, height 56 cm to top of shade

A pair of bronze Italian oil lamps, putti supporting an urn,…

Bronze Italian Putti Oil Lamps, Electrified

A pair of bronze Italian oil lamps, putti supporting an urn, electrified. Height 64 cm.

A fine French argand or Quinquet type bronze oil lamp, 19th…

French Renaissance Revival Bronze Oil Lamp

A fine French argand or Quinquet type bronze oil lamp, 19th century, with maker's mark of Love & Harvey, Paris, finely modelled in the Renaissance revival manner as an antique style oil, lamp with a central stem and spreading base, original burner…

Antique French figural bronze oil lamp, 72 cm high

French Bronze Figural Oil Lamp - 72cm Height

Antique French figural bronze oil lamp, 72 cm high

Seven various Indo-Persian oil lamps. 19th century & earlier.…

Indo-Persian Oil Lamps Collection

Seven various Indo-Persian oil lamps. 19th century & earlier. Cast bronze (4), earthenware (4). Ex Bolster collection of Asian & Ethnographic artefacts, height 12 cm (tallest)

Pair of William IV patinated bronze oil lamps, 19th century,…

William IV Bronze Boar Head Oil Lamps (Pair)

Pair of William IV patinated bronze oil lamps, 19th century, each in the form of a boar-headed rhyton, reservoir with leaf-cast decoration centred with a berried finial within a gadrooned border, now electrified (2), height 35 cm

Antique French gilt bronze oil standard lamp with circular…

French Gilt Bronze Oil Standard Lamp with Marble Base

Antique French gilt bronze oil standard lamp with circular marble drink later electrified, 185 cm high

Pair of antique French oil lamps with pottery bodies and bronze…

Antique French Pottery Oil Lamps with Bronze Mounts (Pair)

Pair of antique French oil lamps with pottery bodies and bronze mounts, converted, each 37 cm high (2)

A fine Satsuma and gilt bronze banquet lamp, Meiji period, late…

Satsuma and Gilt Bronze Banquet Lamp, Meiji Period

A fine Satsuma and gilt bronze banquet lamp, Meiji period, late 19th century, the slender ovoid lamp base with four alternating reserves of figural narratives and auspicious blossoms between brocaded borders, upon cast bronze mounts, with brass lamp…

Rare bronze whale oil lamp C1800

Antique Bronze Whale Oil Lamp (1800)

Rare bronze whale oil lamp C1800

Pair of French blue glass & ormolu oil lamps, illustrated with…

French Blue Glass and Ormolu Napoleon Oil Lamps

Pair of French blue glass & ormolu oil lamps, illustrated with Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte, 57 cm high

Antique French oil lamp, green marble and bronze mounts, ruby…

French Green Marble Oil Lamp with Ruby Reservoir

Antique French oil lamp, green marble and bronze mounts, ruby to clear reservoir, approx 76 cm high

A bold Art Nouveau copper and bronze ball lamp, circa 1900, the…

Art Nouveau Ball Lamp with Nymph and Mascaron

A bold Art Nouveau copper and bronze ball lamp, circa 1900, the ovoid lamp strikingly embossed with a large mascaron and trailing flora and whiplashes issuing from a flying nymph, raised upon four bronze paw feet, the collar supporting oil lamp apparatus.…

A celadon glazed Hinks banquet oil lamp. Pate sur Pate…

Celadon Oil Lamp with Pate sur Pate Decoration

A celadon glazed Hinks banquet oil lamp. Pate sur Pate decoration of classical lady with lamp on bronze base. Signed under porcelain FP, Sevres artist Fernand Paillet 1879-1888. 68 cm high.

Pair of antique 19th century French oil lamps, each fitted with…

Antique French Oil Lamps with Bronze Mounts (Pair)

Pair of antique 19th century French oil lamps, each fitted with bronze mounts, approx 66.5 cm high (2)

Antique 19th century French oil lamp, gilt bronze mounts, royal…

French Blue Porcelain Oil Lamp with Gilt Bronze Mounts

Antique 19th century French oil lamp, gilt bronze mounts, royal blue porcelain body, approx 71 cm high

Pair of antique French porcelain bodied oil lamps, painted with…

French Porcelain Oil Lamps with Bronze Bases (Pair)

Pair of antique French porcelain bodied oil lamps, painted with ribbon tied cartouches of sprays of flowers, standing on bronze bases (2)

Antique French Louis Phillipe oil lamp, of baluster form,…

French Louis Phillipe Oil Lamp with Bronze Mounts

Antique French Louis Phillipe oil lamp, of baluster form, bronze mounts, gilt banding with central classical medallion. Ex Leo Schofield collection. Approx 56 cm high

Exceptional pair of gilt bronze and marble lamps, in the…

Egyptian Revival Gilt Bronze and Marble Lamps

Exceptional pair of gilt bronze and marble lamps, in the Egyptian revival manner, (2) wired for electricity, approx 56 cm high

Pair of Charles x ormolu-mounted malachite oil lamps, second…

Malachite Oil Lamps with Ormolu Mounts

Pair of Charles x ormolu-mounted malachite oil lamps, second quarter 19th century, each with an urn-shaped body raised on a circular malachite base with an ormolu border ending in bun feet, the whole decorated with guilloche, trailing grape leaves,…

A pair of French bronze and ormolu banquet lamps, 19th century…

French Bronze Banquet Lamps, 19th Century

A pair of French bronze and ormolu banquet lamps, 19th century each raised on a tripod base, with an acanthus leaf trimmed columnar standard, 92 cm total height

A pair of gilt bronze, brass and copper moderator lamps,…

Gilt Bronze Moderator Lamps by Maison Hanniet Brussels

A pair of gilt bronze, brass and copper moderator lamps, possibly by Maison Hanniet Brussels, circa 1845, embossed JS to the base, 57 cm high

A French marble and glass kerosene lamp, circa 1900, with a…

Rococo-inspired French Marble and Glass Kerosene Lamp

A French marble and glass kerosene lamp, circa 1900, with a marble shaft in modulating shades of russet tan and cream upon a rococo and belle epoque inspired ormolu base and with a similarly decorated capital surmounted by a clear glass fluted font and…

A small Edwardian table lamp, the single burner above blue…

Edwardian Table Lamp with Bronze Base and Hand-painted Glass

A small Edwardian table lamp, the single burner above blue blush frosted glass font, hand painted with flowers, resting on triangular form bronze base with mask mouldings from the collection of P. D. White part III

An Art Deco table lamp, the single burner above blue tinted…

Art Deco Bronze Table Lamp with Blue Milk Glass Font

An Art Deco table lamp, the single burner above blue tinted milk glass font with scroll mouldings, set upon a flower and grass moulded triangular form bronze base from the collection of P. D. White part III 49 cm high

A pair of Victorian porcelain and ormolu oil lamps, mid 19th…

Victorian Porcelain & Ormolu Oil Lamps

A pair of Victorian porcelain and ormolu oil lamps, mid 19th century, with an onion-shaped black porcelain body finely decorated with gilt, red and white floral emblems, the stem supporting the sliced chartreuse glass font, brass mechanism and flue, the…

Antique Hinks & Sons oil lamp, the body and reservoir painted…

Hinks & Sons Owl Relief Oil Lamp

Antique Hinks & Sons oil lamp, the body and reservoir painted in relief with owls on branches, standing on a cast bronze tri form base, 37 cm high, no burner