What is a whale oil lamp?

A whale oil lamp is a lamp that uses whale oil for fuel. Whale oil lamps were largely made from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Antique whale oil lamps are collectibles today and an older specimen will be a striking addition to your mantel or display cabinet. Find a collection of antique and vintage whale oil lamps on 1stDibs today.

How do I use a hanging oil lamp?

To use a hanging oil lamp, remove the oil font from the base and fill it three-quarters of the way with clear lamp oil. Return the font and close the base. Twist the knob to raise the wick until it is a little less than 0.25 inches above the burner. Light with a match or lighter. After extinguishing and allowing time for cooling, trim the burned end off of the wick. You'll find a collection of hanging oil lamps on 1stDibs.

Are oil lamps still used?

Yes, oil lamps are still used today. However, most people utilize oil lamps while camping or during power outages in the U.S. It is uncommon for Americans to light their homes only with oil lamps. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique oil lamps.

Who invented the Victorian oil lamp?

The Victorian oil lamp was designed in 1792 by inventor Ami Argan. What made this lamp unique to the ones that preceded it is the unique shape, featuring a long glass shaft that aids the illumination of the lamp. Browse a collection of vintage Victorian oil lamps on 1stDibs.

When did they start using oil lamps?

People began using early versions of oil lamps for spiritual purposes during ancient times. References to oil-burning lamps are found in both the Torah and the Bible. Oil lamps became popular for everyday use lighting homes and businesses in the late 19th century with the advent of the kerosene lamp. Shop a selection of antique oil lamps on 1stDibs.

How do I tell if an oil lamp is antique?

There are a few key things to look for to identify an antique oil lamp. First check for a patent number anywhere on your lamp. Use a black light to inspect whether your lamp’s hardware is secured with glue, which fluoresces and would indicate a contemporary lamp. Antique lamps use plaster to attach hardware and fill gaps. An antique oil lamp may have hand-blown glass. Shop a range of professionally authenticated antique oil lamps on 1stDibs.

How does a Roman oil lamp work?

Roman oil lamps are simply containers filled with oil, in which a wick made up of cloth or rope rests on one end. The other end of the wick comes in contact with the air. When the wick is lit, the oil in it burns and gives out light.

How do you use a brass oil lamp?

How you use a brass oil lamp may vary based on the design of the piece. However, generally, you fill the lamp with vegetable, sesame or similar plant-based oil. Use tweezers to raise and lower the wick and trim away burned ends with scissors. Then, use a match to light the lamp. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of oil lamps.

Miniature Oil Lamps

Owl Figure

Greek Tripod

Red Glass Tear Drop Lamp

Greek Theater Mask

Porcelain Figural Lamp

Theater Lamps

Meissen Miniature

Porcelain Owl

Just Andersen Miniature Oil Lamp in Pewter & Brass, 1930s

$162

H 2.56 in Dm 1.58 in

Just Andersen Miniature Oil Lamp in Pewter & Brass, 1930s

By Just Andersen

Located in Esbjerg, DK

A very small oil lamp made by Just Andersen in Denmark during the 1930s. Its corpus is made from

Category

Vintage 1930s Danish Art Deco Torchères

Materials

Brass, Pewter

Italian Grand Tour Model of a Roman Oil Lamp

$3,424

H 7.49 in W 5.32 in D 3.75 in

Italian Grand Tour Model of a Roman Oil Lamp

Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire

A decorative Italian Grand Tour model of a Roman oil lamp, circa 1835,in the manner of Benedetto

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Grand Tour Models and Miniatures

Materials

Marble

Rare Antique Gadget Cane Concealed Oil Lamp Lantern Walking Stick

$3,400

H 28.5 in W 0.75 in D 0.75 in

Rare Antique Gadget Cane Concealed Oil Lamp Lantern Walking Stick

Located in Shippensburg, PA

handling, the comfortably cylindrical metal cap at the top lifts to reveal a miniature oil lamp with a

Category

Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Lanterns

Materials

Brass, Nickel

Recent Sales

Antique Meissen Dresden Figural Porcelain Owl Miniature Oil Lamp 19th C

Sold

H 6.5 in W 3.5 in D 3.75 in

Antique Meissen Dresden Figural Porcelain Owl Miniature Oil Lamp 19th C

By Meissen Porcelain

Located in Big Flats, NY

Antique German Meissen Dresden figural porcelain owl miniature oil lamp, maker mark on base as

Category

Antique 19th Century Table Lamps

Materials

Porcelain

Four Cyprian Antiquities 700BC and Framed Export Licences 1937 Grand Tour

Sold

H 42 in W 25.5 in D 1 in

Four Cyprian Antiquities 700BC and Framed Export Licences 1937 Grand Tour

Located in Lowestoft, GB

tear drop glass bottle, a clay oil lamp, miniature black and red clay jug and a small glass vessel

Category

Antique Early 19th Century European Aesthetic Movement Historical Memora...

Materials

Clay, Gesso, Glass, Softwood

Miniature Oil Lamps Collection, 6

Sold

H 7 in Dm 3 in

Miniature Oil Lamps Collection, 6

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Collection of 19th century original painted glass and milk glass miniature oil lamps. Sold as a

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Country More Lighting

Materials

Glass, Ceramic

Italian Bronze Grand Tour Oil Lamp with Greek Theater Mask

Sold

H 3.5 in Dm 5 in

Italian Bronze Grand Tour Oil Lamp with Greek Theater Mask

Located in Stamford, CT

Grand tour oil lamp modeled after an ancient Roman original, decorated with a wonderful Greek

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Models and Miniatures

Materials

Bronze

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Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward

$234,055Sale Price|33% Off

H 51.19 in W 55.12 in D 201.58 in

Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward

By Henry Ward

Located in Amsterdam, NL

England, third quarter of the 19th century On two scrolling foliate feet with casters, above which a rectangular two-side glazed frame, with on top a two-sided shield with initial...

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Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy

Materials

Other

A Finely Sculpted Grand Tour Model of The Temple of Vespasian, Italy Circa 1900

Sold|~~$8,000~~

H 17.25 in W 8 in D 5.5 in

A Finely Sculpted Grand Tour Model of The Temple of Vespasian, Italy Circa 1900

Located in Ottawa, Ontario

The large & finely sculpted alabaster structure showing a trio of fluted columns terminating to finely carved Corinthian capitals, supporting an entablature with a carved frieze ...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Grand Tour Architectural Models

Materials

Alabaster

Rare Antique 1901 Steinway Model B Rosewood Grand Piano Louis XV Rococo Restored

$500,000

H 39.5 in W 58 in D 82 in

Rare Antique 1901 Steinway Model B Rosewood Grand Piano Louis XV Rococo Restored

By Steinway & Sons

Located in Dayton, OH

Fully Restored 1901 Steinway & Sons Model B Louis XV Baroque Rococo Grand Piano – Serial Number 99151, Full 88 key keyboard. The most exquisitely detailed example of a turn of the c...

Category

Early 20th Century American Louis XV Musical Instruments

Materials

Fruitwood, Rosewood

Italian Grand Tour Red Marble Model of Trajan’s Column

$4,808

H 15.75 in W 3.35 in D 3.35 in

Italian Grand Tour Red Marble Model of Trajan’s Column

Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire

An Italian Grand Tour rosso antico red marble model of Trajan’s Column, circa 1840. Once a Grand Tour souvenir acquired by an adventurer exploring Europe, this decorative model colu...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Grand Tour Architectural Models

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Italian 19th-20th Century Whimsical White Marble Wishing Wellhead with Children

$194,500

H 32 in Dm 51 in

Italian 19th-20th Century Whimsical White Marble Wishing Wellhead with Children

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A very fine and exceptionally carved Italian 19th-20th century Baroque Revival style whimsical white Carrara marble wishing wellhead, raised on an octagonal two-step marble base. The...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Italian Baroque Revival Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Extraordinary Walking Stick Horn Handle Silver

$1,136

H 35.83 in Dm 5.12 in

Extraordinary Walking Stick Horn Handle Silver

Located in Berlin, DE

massiv horn handle silver shaft robust stick (V-215).

Category

Vintage 1920s Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Horn

19th Century English Sword Cane

$2,875

H 32 in Dm 5 in

19th Century English Sword Cane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

English sword cane with a fine toledo blade that measures approximately 27 1/2". Triangular blade marked "Toledo" on the ricasso and is beautifully decorated with etched and fire blu...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Antiquities

Materials

Brass

Clairtone Project G2 Series T11 Console Stereo System & Garrard Turntable

$30,000

H 24.25 in W 78.5 in D 9.25 in

Clairtone Project G2 Series T11 Console Stereo System & Garrard Turntable

By Clairtone

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia

On offer is a rare completely original Clairtone G2 Series Home Stereo System from 1966 featuring two distinct exotic wooden boxes one that houses the tuner and the turntable both pr...

Category

Vintage 1960s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Monumental Carrara Marble Wall Mascaron of Poseidon

$89,905

H 35.83 in W 32.68 in D 5.12 in

Monumental Carrara Marble Wall Mascaron of Poseidon

Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire

A large and monumental Italian carved Carrara marble mascaron of Poseidon or Neptune after the late 16th century ‘Fontana del Mascherone’ by Bartolomeo Bassi. At more than 90cm tall ...

Category

20th Century Italian Grand Tour Fountains

Materials

Marble, Carrara Marble

Rare English 'Grand Tour' Cabinet with 18th Century Italian Pietra Dura Panels

$117,614

H 42.5 in W 76.5 in D 21.5 in

Rare English 'Grand Tour' Cabinet with 18th Century Italian Pietra Dura Panels

Located in London, GB

A Rare English 'Grand Tour' Cabinet with Florentine Pietra Dura Panels The 19th century black marble top inlaid with a central cartouche of Sicilian Jasper surrounded by Brocatelle...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Grand Tour Cabinets

Materials

Marble

Classical Inlaid Carved Marble Stone Sink Basin

$3,666

H 6.25 in W 36 in D 17 in

Classical Inlaid Carved Marble Stone Sink Basin

Located in Cranbrook, Kent

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble with poly chrome inlays, the straight fronted format has fine rhombus inlaid details enclo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Greek Stone Sinks

Materials

Marble

19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque

$102,193

H 101.19 in W 137.8 in D 19.3 in

19th Century Walnut Pair of Bookcases Boiserie de Bibliothèque

Located in Vosselaar, BE

A rare pair of heliocodal French Directoire library bookcases in solid walnut. This type of bookcases is also known as 'boiseries de Bibliothèque' as they often, together with pannel...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Antique Sword Stick Walking Cane, Hardwood & Silver Mount, 19th Century

$1,349

H 33.08 in W 1.97 in D 1.97 in

Antique Sword Stick Walking Cane, Hardwood & Silver Mount, 19th Century

Located in London, GB

This is a beautiful antique English gentleman's hardwood sword stick with a carved bone pommel and a sterling silver mount, with hallmarks for Birmingham 1896 and makers marks for th...

Category

Antique 1890s Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Silver

Pair Italian Neoclassical Grand Tour Sienna Marble Souvenirs of Temple Ruins

$26,800 / set

H 13.5 in W 3 in D 6 in

Pair Italian Neoclassical Grand Tour Sienna Marble Souvenirs of Temple Ruins

Located in New York, NY

A very fine and early pair of Roman Neoclassical Period Grand Tour Sienna marble models of the Temple of Castor and Pollux and the temple of Vespasian, early 1800's Italian. In th...

Category

Antique 1820s Italian Greco Roman Desk Accessories

Materials

Siena Marble

An Italian Grand Tour Specimen Marble Paperweight, Late 19th Century

$2,800

H 1.25 in Dm 4 in

An Italian Grand Tour Specimen Marble Paperweight, Late 19th Century

Located in Spencertown, NY

The round paperweight framed in black marble, with porphyry and sienna marble and other marble specimens. The center in sienna marble with carved bearded male head

Category

Antique 1850s Italian Grand Tour Paperweights

Materials

Belgian Black Marble

Monumental Italian Wall Fountain in Carved Verona Rossa Marble, Early 1900s

$21,500

H 72.75 in W 42 in D 30.25 in

Monumental Italian Wall Fountain in Carved Verona Rossa Marble, Early 1900s

Located in Dallas, TX

This monumental Italian wall fountain was hand-carved in verona rossa marble in the early 1900’s. Truly the work of a master mason, the fountain is comprised of four thick pieces of ...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Fountains

Materials

Marble

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Questions About Miniature Oil Lamps

What is a whale oil lamp?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
A whale oil lamp is a lamp that uses whale oil for fuel. Whale oil lamps were largely made from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Antique whale oil lamps are collectibles today and an older specimen will be a striking addition to your mantel or display cabinet. Find a collection of antique and vintage whale oil lamps on 1stDibs today.
How do I use a hanging oil lamp?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
To use a hanging oil lamp, remove the oil font from the base and fill it three-quarters of the way with clear lamp oil. Return the font and close the base. Twist the knob to raise the wick until it is a little less than 0.25 inches above the burner. Light with a match or lighter. After extinguishing and allowing time for cooling, trim the burned end off of the wick. You'll find a collection of hanging oil lamps on 1stDibs.
Are oil lamps still used?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Yes, oil lamps are still used today. However, most people utilize oil lamps while camping or during power outages in the U.S. It is uncommon for Americans to light their homes only with oil lamps. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique oil lamps.
Who invented the Victorian oil lamp?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
The Victorian oil lamp was designed in 1792 by inventor Ami Argan. What made this lamp unique to the ones that preceded it is the unique shape, featuring a long glass shaft that aids the illumination of the lamp. Browse a collection of vintage Victorian oil lamps on 1stDibs.
When did they start using oil lamps?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
People began using early versions of oil lamps for spiritual purposes during ancient times. References to oil-burning lamps are found in both the Torah and the Bible. Oil lamps became popular for everyday use lighting homes and businesses in the late 19th century with the advent of the kerosene lamp. Shop a selection of antique oil lamps on 1stDibs.
How do I tell if an oil lamp is antique?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
There are a few key things to look for to identify an antique oil lamp. First check for a patent number anywhere on your lamp. Use a black light to inspect whether your lamp’s hardware is secured with glue, which fluoresces and would indicate a contemporary lamp. Antique lamps use plaster to attach hardware and fill gaps. An antique oil lamp may have hand-blown glass. Shop a range of professionally authenticated antique oil lamps on 1stDibs.
How does a Roman oil lamp work?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertAugust 24, 2021
Roman oil lamps are simply containers filled with oil, in which a wick made up of cloth or rope rests on one end. The other end of the wick comes in contact with the air. When the wick is lit, the oil in it burns and gives out light.
How do you use a brass oil lamp?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
How you use a brass oil lamp may vary based on the design of the piece. However, generally, you fill the lamp with vegetable, sesame or similar plant-based oil. Use tweezers to raise and lower the wick and trim away burned ends with scissors. Then, use a match to light the lamp. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of oil lamps.