Glass Lamp Parts
Nothing gives your home a traditionally Victorian feel quite like a glass oil lamp. The familiar glass kerosene lamp was invented around 1850 and has changed very little since. While these lamps were once a necessity in homes without electricity, they are still useful to have on hand. They add light to areas without sufficient electrical outlets and are more helpful than a flashlight in a power outage. They also add a purely aesthetic element to a room. Does this Spark an idea?
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Chimney
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The chimney is the curved glass column that controls the air flow around the lamp's flame to make it brighter or more dim. It typically rests on the burner rim and runs through the middle of the shade.
Burner
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The burner is the rounded metal piece that sits beneath the chimney. A slit in the burner is where the wick sits. You raise and lower the wick with a turn switch, known as a wick raiser, attached to the outside of the burner.
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Collar
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The collar is a metal ring that sits beneath the burner to support it. It is generally affixed to the body of the lamp, rather than being a detachable piece, and connects the burner to the gas.
Fount
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The fount is the body of the lamp, the area that holds the kerosene. Made of glass, this is often the most elaborately decorated part of the lamp.
Wick
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The wick is made of absorbent cotton. One end rests in the kerosene, while the other emerges from the burner to be lit. The wick draws kerosene from the fount to the flame to keep the lamp lit.
Shade and Shade Holder
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The shade covers the chimney and is also made of glass, occasionally with some decoration. A shade diffuses the light from the flame and protects the chimney. The shade is held up by a metal frame, called a shade holder, that rests on the burner.
Base
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The entire glass lamp rests on a base, usually made from metal such as bronze or pewter that has been shaped or molded into a design. Some newer bases are made from insulating materials to protect the surface beneath the lamp from the lamp's heat.
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