Lamp
Lamps were made by American pewterers between about 1830 and 1870. Whale oil, lard, and camphene were the most popular fuels, and they were used in lamps which came in dozens of shapes and sizes. The smallest lamps—called variously nurse, bed, or spark lamps—were only 1 ½–3 inches in height. Lamps of this size generally had handles and were carried from room to room. Taller lamps, known as stand lamps, rested atop a pedestal not unlike the bottom half of a candlestick. The present example, a stand lamp with acorn-shaped font resting on a knopped base, was made by Allen Porter of Westbrook, Maine. Active from 1830–38, Porter, in partnership with his brother for part of his career, made teapots of good design as well as some of the handsomest lamps of the period.
Artwork Details
- Title: Lamp
- Maker: Allen Porter (active 1830–38)
- Date: 1830–38
- Geography: Made in Westbrook, Maine, United States
- Culture: American
- Medium: Pewter
- Dimensions: H. 10 in. (25.4 cm)
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, in memory of her husband, 1941
- Object Number: 41.34.53a, b
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
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