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This is an unmarked Oil Wick lamp also commonly referred
to as a "Teapot lamp". This type is also known as a
"Sunshine Lamp" as it was made to burn Sunshine Wax made
by the Standard Oil Company. This waxy fuel was made
with normal wax paraffin with a small percentage of
mineral oil mixed in. The double spout is a good
give-away in identifying this type of lamp. The double
spout would create a heated dead air space that would
help to keep the waxy fuel hot and very soft for
burning. This type of lamp could burn other fuels (lard,
tallow, various vegetable oils) but was made to
primarily burn Sunshine Wax. Conversely, the normal oil
wick lamps could not easily use Sunshine Wax as a fuel
without the miners doing some tricks and enduring the
hassle factor to get them lit and keep them burning.
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This is another example of the Oil Wick lamp but on a
larger scale. Measuring approx 16" from the end of the
handle to the side of the lamp and approx 9" from the
base of the lamp to the top of the spout. This lamp was
used in the coal mines of Scranton, Pennsylvania at the
beginning of the 20th Century. This was apparently used
as an oil wick hand lamp by the miner, it could also
have originally been used as a mine surveyors lamp. A
similar type lamp is referenced (right down to the screw
in spout and screw cap filler hole), including a photo,
in Poh's Flamelight Book, alough the handle was not as
long. At the very least a good example of a possible
"modified" oil wick lamp. If you have any more info on
this type of oil wick lamp or have seen another
somewhere else, please let me know.
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