Cannon Ball Fat lamp

[Tofftevang]

hi . All. I recently joined the forum.
I have collected old oil lamps for 50 yrs as a hobby. I recently got into war of 1812 items due to my 3rd gr.grandfather being a Capt. in the 104th Reg. of Foot. Yes a Red Coat.
I have a Brown Bess Etc & other items & recently bought 2 old grease lamps that apparently came north to Niagara Ont.in the 1700s. I am trying to find information on them. They are the size of a 4lb cannon ball. flat bottom with an open spout for a wick & hang by a light chain. Can anyone tell me anything about these lamps. I will try to post a photo.

 

[Many Klatch]

Sounds like Betty Lamps. Pictures will be a help.

Many Klatch

 

[cynthialee]

You would be the lamp expert, so if it has you stumped....

By the sound of it, I bet they were made by a local smith and were not common items.

 

[matt denison]

I have a small collection of lamps also. I have seen many others in books and museums. Most are faily simple. Yours sounds a little odd. A picture is needed to help any further.

 

[Nifeman]

pic is worth a 1000 words... :wink:

 

[BillinOregon]

What a great way to repurpose a cannonball with explosive charge and fuse! Can't wait to see the photos.
By the way, Tofftevang, I hope your ancestor was not the ruffian who burned my ancestor's Revolutionary War records ...

:haha:

 

[matt denison]

A fat/oil lamp can be as simple as a tuna fish can with some bacon rease in it and a wick hanging over the side. I'm sure all sorts of them have been made and used over the past few centuries.

What we call a Betty Lamp is something made more efficient and more leak proof than the simplest "tray with a wick" and some animal fat.