This article first appeared in the April 1996 edition of Country Living Magazine. It is reprinted here by permission of the author and Country Living Magazine. Abridged.

COLLECTING NOW: OILLAMPS
by Pam Guthman

These age old devices have served humankind brilliantly

The original oil lamp, historians suggest, was made in the Stone Age. It was, in all likelihood, a fuel container fashioned from a hollowed-out rock that was lined with absorbent moss (the equivalent of the latter day wick) which was soaked with animal fat (or some other combustible material) and then ignited. Though humble in appearance, the ingenious device differed little in basic principle from the hundreds of more elaborate designs that would follow it. Whether crafted from stone, ceramic, metal or glass - whether filled with animal fat, olive oil, or kerosene - the invention has functioned admirably. Today, vintage examples are highly sought by collectors for the utility, history, and decorative value they provide.

Carrying the Torch
A large collection of turn-of-the-century oil lamps distinguishes the New York City shop Dennis Hearn/Diversified Antiques. The provenance of the collection traces to Jane Rubin, once a client of shop owner Dennis Hearn. More than 30 years ago - during the famous 1965 blackout that left parts of New York City without electricity for 13 hours - Ms. Rubin purchased her first oil lamp. Apparently she caught the proverbial antiques bug shortly thereafter, as she steadily expanded her stash to include more than 50 American examples. Last year, shortly before she moved to San Francisco, the collector asked Mr. Hearn if he would be interested in purchasing the collection from her. He was.

Whatever the phenomenon that had sparked Jane Rubin's interest in forming a collection of vintage oil lamps, it spread to Mr. Hearn. "I learned I had a superb variety of oil lamps from 1860 through 1910. Most were American, but I did discover one Portuguese lamp." That item inspired the dealer to travel to Portugal, where he found a number of other lamps to highlight in his shop.

"I have found oil lamps to be collectible, functional, historic, and decorative," Mr. Hearn says. "They make terrific gifts because of the warmth and friendship they represent. And they offer a wonderful alternative to candles on the dinner table; the light is soft and sets the mood."

There are, he notes, innumerable supplies of odorless and clear oils available as well as citronella-scented oils that repel insects. Many of Mr. Hearn's customers use the lamps on patios and porches in the late spring and summer, where, filled with the bug-repelling oils, the antiques help ward off pests.

Pam Guthman is a freelance writer specializing in travel and antiques and is a partner, with her mother, in Pat Guthman Antiques, Inc., in Southport, Conn.

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Copyrighted 2001