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 Art Nouveau canary yellow banquet lamp, later 19th century,…

Canary Yellow Art Nouveau Banquet Lamp

An Art Nouveau canary yellow banquet lamp, later 19th century, with a waisted moulded shade with etched floral panels above a lobed font with sinuous flowers in relief to a pierced and profusely decorated base, with mechanism and chimney, 58 cm high

A late Victorian ruby glass banquet lamp, later 19th century,…

Late Victorian Ruby Glass Banquet Lamp with Art Nouveau Base

A late Victorian ruby glass banquet lamp, later 19th century, with a balustroid ruffled ombre shade, ruby font above a spiral twist stem to a pierced pyramid base with Art Nouveau elements, complete with fittings and chimney, 82 cm high

A fine Art Nouveau banquet lamp, late 19th century, with a…

Art Nouveau Banquet Lamp with Poppy Etched Shade

A fine Art Nouveau banquet lamp, late 19th century, with a waisted poppy etched shade with a green lipped ruffled rim above a cased glass black green font with foil inclusions painted with tubelined tulips, the baluster stem conforming, with fittings and…

An Art Nouveau ruby glass banquet lamp, late 19th century, the…

Art Nouveau Ruby Glass Banquet Lamp

An Art Nouveau ruby glass banquet lamp, late 19th century, the domed shade with etched floral and scroll motifs above a font with an internal striped decor and supported on a faceted brass stem, with chimney and fittings, 63 cm high

French kerosene lamp, Art Nouveau 'Gaudard' amethyst colour…

Art Nouveau Cherub Kerosene Lamp

French kerosene lamp, Art Nouveau 'Gaudard' amethyst colour glass font and shade decorated with etched cherubs and foliate

An Art Nouveau converted kerosene lamp, height 63 cm

Art Nouveau Kerosene Lamp Conversion, 63cm Height

An Art Nouveau converted kerosene lamp, height 63 cm

Three kerosene lamps each with gilt painted cast metal bases,…

Art Nouveau Kerosene Lamps with Coloured Glass Fonts

Three kerosene lamps each with gilt painted cast metal bases, one depicting King Edward VII, the other two with Art Nouveau cast decoration, each with coloured glass fonts, one with painted floral design, one pastel blue glass with moulded flowers, the…

Benson English Art Nouveau adjustable oil lamp, brass and…

Art Nouveau Oil Lamp Conversion, 1900

Benson English Art Nouveau adjustable oil lamp, brass and copper, circa 1900, converted to electricity, 176 cm high

Victorian cast iron base oil lamp with Art Nouveau decorated…

Art Nouveau Oil Lamp with Victorian Cast Iron Base

Victorian cast iron base oil lamp with Art Nouveau decorated reservoir

An Art Nouveau oil lamp stand, cast brass, circa 1895, 121 cm…

Art Nouveau Brass Oil Lamp Stand, 1895

An Art Nouveau oil lamp stand, cast brass, circa 1895, 121 cm high

A Victorian fuel banquet lamp, circa 1900, with maker's mark…

Victorian Art Nouveau Fuel Lamp

A Victorian fuel banquet lamp, circa 1900, with maker's mark for John Scott, England, a pierced and cast pyramidal base of Art Nouveau design with a white font, decorated with trailing green threads and surmounted by a tapering, translucent opaline shade…

Art Nouveau kerosene lamp with a milk glass font and green…

Green Etched Milk Glass Kerosene Lamp

Art Nouveau kerosene lamp with a milk glass font and green etched light 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

Antique oil lamp with green glass Reservoir and Art Nouveau…

Art Nouveau Oil Lamp with Green Glass Reservoir

Antique oil lamp with green glass Reservoir and Art Nouveau base good example with tree form Nouveau metal base and 'Dimpled' green glass reservoir and glass chimney, height 56 cm

Art Nouveau brass oil lamp with jewelled decoration, 55 cm high

Jewelled Art Nouveau Oil Lamp - 55cm High

Art Nouveau brass oil lamp with jewelled decoration, 55 cm high

A large late Victorian Hinks & Sons brass banquet lamp, later…

Hinks & Sons Brass Banquet Lamp with Ruby Shade

A large late Victorian Hinks & Sons brass banquet lamp, later 19th century, with maker's mark for Hinks & Son to collar, the duplex lamp with Art Nouveau cast stiff leaf designs to the font above a tall tapering ribbed column to a stepped base, with the…

A fine Art Nouveau ruby glass duplex banquet lamp, late 19th…

Art Nouveau Ruby Glass Banquet Lamp with Waisted Shade

A fine Art Nouveau ruby glass duplex banquet lamp, late 19th century, with a plain columnar stem to an elaborate cast vegetal base with fold over petals, having a milk glass font, chimney, original workings and a waisted shade with an optic rib decor and…

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 late 19th century Victorian ruby overlay glass oil lamp with…

Victorian Art Nouveau Ruby Overlay Oil Lamp

A late 19th century Victorian ruby overlay glass oil lamp with embossed Art Nouveau floral design. 56 cm high.

A striking Art Nouveau brass and copper standard lamp, circa…

Art Nouveau Brass and Copper Standard Lamp

A striking Art Nouveau brass and copper standard lamp, circa 1900., Hinks duplex mechanism, an English telescopic standard oil lamp, with font and chimney, the stem with three buttresses with striking cast feather embellishments to a tri-footed base with…

An Art Nouveau oil lamp with green ceramic base and hand…

Green Ceramic Art Nouveau Oil Lamp with Enamel Design

An Art Nouveau oil lamp with green ceramic base and hand enamelled design. Original green glass shade. 67 cm high.

A Victorian Art Nouveau kerosene banquet lamp, late 19th…

Victorian Art Nouveau Kerosene Banquet Lamp

A Victorian Art Nouveau kerosene banquet lamp, late 19th century, the glass, brass and white metal lamp having a floral patterned frosted shade enclosing a chimney, a moulded pale blue milk glass font with flowers, buds and fruits above a brass stem and a…

Antique French oil lamp with rouge marble support on an Art…

French Art Nouveau Oil Lamp with Marble Support

Antique French oil lamp with rouge marble support on an Art Nouveau base, approx 71 cm high

A French Art Nouveau table lamp on Pyramid fret work cast iron…

Green Floral Art Nouveau Table Lamp

A French Art Nouveau table lamp on Pyramid fret work cast iron base supporting a green milk glass font hand painted with enamel flowers and butterflies, supporting a brass double burner and a bell shaped green frosted and decorated shade. Height 59 cm

A small French Art Nouveau desk oil lamp, with pink blush…

French Art Nouveau Desk Lamp with Pink Blush Glass Shade

A small French Art Nouveau desk oil lamp, with pink blush moulded glass shade, single burner, cranberry blush frosted glass font resting on a brass floral emblem fretwork base from the collection of P. D. White part III 45 cm high