ao tT % a ‘ age * 4 ; , i = ie 5 $ { é é 8 A ‘ s- i > ; a = , - ra wv ‘ # . : ‘Fe ve oie a> e A v ai 5 r. iy z : , wv 4 - L i , , ‘ d \ § , j , i f x sea va 4 a e : j ( ‘ + a ‘ ; : i i\ r { j ee ; * j ‘ { ir 7 ‘ hy x ; heh * wi, } i A ON : Pan Collection of Burton N. Gates, Worcester Piael Baek See pages 26, 27 FOUR EARLY IRON LIGHTING DEVICES ON RARE SEVENTEENTH- CENTURY TRESTLE TABLE PO OLONIAL PIGCGHTING A New and Revised Edition by ARTHUR H. HAYWARD illustrated Boston - mcmxxvili LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY Copyright, 1923, 1927 By Artnur H. Haywar All rights reserved — Published March, 1927 ts, PRINTED IN THE UnrTED STATES ¢ y < ot ¢ ; hired , : 4 ie! INTRODUCTION AND APOLOGY THIS book is not the very last word on the subject. It is the observations, random notes and studies made at various times and in various places, bits of wisdom gathered from many a lover of the old things much more learned than the author, extending over quite a period of time, on a subject which has so far seemed to have almost entirely escaped the pen of the chronicler; and gathered and arranged so as to show a con- nected and cumulative record of the wonderful progress which artificial illumination has made in this land of ours from the lime “ When a band of exiles moored their bark On the wild New England shore ” up to the day when the advent of gas and kerosene relegated the old lamps and candlesticks to the closet shelf and the attic. More than that, I have here tried to show that there was an mtimate parallel in the purely material development which kept pace with, and was closely linked with, the changing and expanding intellectual, social and moral growth of that sturdy, solid, and, in some aspects, somber and narrow Colony, which, from its small beginning on the forbidding shore of Massachusetts Bay, spread a network of influence and stamped its character upon a vast territory stretching across the mountains and prairies to the farthest West and South, peopled by men of many races and far different habits; and the in- fluence of whose deeds, habits and thoughts, lives to-day in so many of our laws and imstitutions. I am as keenly aware as my reader of the enormity of such a task, and my only apology for undertaking it at all is that as vii INTRODUCTION AND APO@e there has not been up to the present time, so far as I am aware, any attempt to write a book of this kind, some one must make a beginning. My purposes then in writing this chronicle are these: first, to try to crystallize the fragmentary and confusmg bits of information which one picks up, here and there, mto a connected and coherent picture, or, series of pictures, in orderly array setting forth the various steps by which the crude, early, dim, inadequate lamps of the early sixteen hundreds gradually evolved into the elegant and fairly satisfactory lighting of the early eighteen hundreds; and putting it in such fashion, with adequate illustrations, that the average collector may have a comprehensive and intelligent grasp of the subject — where before was more or less confusion. Secondly, to try to treat this subject in such a way as to awaken in the mind of the casual reader love for and desire to acquaint himself personally with the great art of collecting, and thus add a few more to that array of congenial souls, scattered all over the country, who find delightful relaxation, as well as a vast fund of interesting information, in getting together a collection of the relics of past generations; and lastly, and, I think, perhaps the most tmportant of all, to make more real in the minds of my veaders, particularly the younger people, by means of these bits of by-gone days — links connecting the present with a long-buried and half-forgotten past— the character, the thoughts, and the habits and, particularly, the ideals of those splendid fathers and mothers of our great Republic — for they were men and women of strong and splendid courage, of loyal devotion to their own conception of duty, of deep love for truth and civic and social righteousness, and of faith in a won- derful future for this new land which by thei self-sacrifice they were helping to found. And if I can help to visualize to my readers those who daily used these lamps and candlesticks, thew modes of life, their virtues, their strong points as well as their weaknesses, their daily habits of thought and action, I Pee IDUCTION AND APOLOGY 1X feel that I shall have done something at least to help us of the present day to solve wisely and rightly some of the many problems which seem just now to be threatening the very life itself of our democracy, and to get back to those principles of right living and right thinking, in our relations with our fellow men, which were so firmly and deeply rooted in them. The author realizes, perhaps more keenly than the reader, the many shortcomings of this book. As the reader gets into it, he will doubtless note that there are some types of lamps with which he is more or less familiar or which perhaps are in his own collection which are not illustrated or perhaps not even mentioned. This is due to the fact that the field is so immense that it was simply an impossible task to describe or, even, to know all the variants of the different lighting devices which have appeared from time to time in the widely scattered settle- ments of this country. Another source of disappointment will be the fact that few authoritative dates are assigned to the varied types of lamps shown. As many of the older lamps continued to be made and used long years after improved models came into use and many different kinds were in use during the same period in different sections, it is only very occasionally, when one can authenticate some particular specimen with absolute sureness, that a date may be ventured; however, this book should be considered in the light of a primer — the A B C of lamp collecting. I have been greatly helped by many friends and collectors, in fact without their assistance, I should not have had the courage to put pen to paper. They have given me generously from their stores of knowledge, opened their collections for my inspection and camera, and helped me in every way possible. My grateful thanks are due particularly to the family of the late Doctor C. A. Quincy Norton, whose untimely death forced the scattering of probably the largest and most comprehensive collection of lamps ever made in this country and the abandon- x INTRODUCTION AND APOL ment of the publication of a book on this subject for which he had been collecting a great amount of material, which would have been a really splendid memorial for his years of devotion to the subject. I am indebted to the Anderson Galleries of New York City for courteously allowing me the use of some ten or more plates, illustrating the choicest of Doctor Norton’s collection with accompanying notes. Mr. Burton N. Gates of Worcester, Massachusetts, has aided me with much valuable material and notes and has allowed me to photograph some of the best pieces of his collection. Mr. V. M. Hillyer of Balti- more, Maryland, whose collection of lighting devices is a most extensive one, has furnished some fine plates, as well as much information, on this subject in which he has so great an interest. Mrs. Geo. W. Mitton of Jamaica Plain, Boston, has rendered valuable assistance in allowing me to photograph from her large collection of rare Sandwich glass. Mr. Henry Ford of Dearborn, Michigan, has an extensive collection of early lighting devices containing many rare pieces from which he has sent me some excellent pictures which you will find herein. To Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney of Boston, whose home is the old Iron Master's house in Saugus, filled with treasures of all kinds, gathered from Colonial days, and which, together with an inexhaustible fund of antique lore, has been freely opened to me, I am deeply indebted. Also to Mr. Daniel F. Magner of Hingham by whose aid I have added many interesting lamps to my own collection. My sincere thanks are also due Miss Mary Harrod Northend of Salem, the author of books and articles on Colonial days, who opened her rich and ex- tensive collection of photographs for my use; and to the Jordan Marsh Company of Boston for their valuable codperation my study of early glass. To all of these and to the other many friends and collectors who have most generously aided me with photographs of their choice pieces and much valuable information, I wish to express PeeeoUUCTION AND APOLOGY © xi here my grateful acknowledgment of their kindness and generosity. In all this I would not forget Mr. E. B. Luce of Worcester, and F. E. Colby and W. S. Snell of Boston, whose skilled work with lens and camera has placed before my readers, much more vividly than mere words could do, many a rare lamp. So, gentle reader, if there is found any virtue im these pages it is due in large measure to many good friends; the mistakes are my own. ARTHUR H. HAYWARD FOREWORD TO THE SECOND PRINTING ABSENCE of adverse criticism and the many letters of appre- ciation from people otherwise unknown to the author, coupled with the fact that the first edition is exhausted and letters from collectors and others seeking to buy the book are being received, makes him feel that another edition at this time would be welcomed. The further facts that no other book on this subject has as yet been written, and that a constantly increasing number of collectors are interesting themselves in this particular branch of antiques, would seem to justify its reprinting. That no serious errors have been brought to his attention is very gratifying. A number of friendly suggestions have, how- ever, been made, and he has carefully gone over the text, modifying such statements and making other slight changes as these suggestions would seem to warrant. As the only text-book on the development of lighting appliances in the New England colonies, it has, within the limits of a small first printing, found a place in the homes of collectors, the shops of dealers, the shelves of public libraries and the studios of architects and decorators. This, of course, is very pleasing to the author, but he feels in duty bound to respond to the letters recently received, and to share his enthusiasm and knowledge (so far as it goes) with the large numbers who have heretofore not known, or have been unable to secure copies of the first printing, hence this edition. ARTHUR H. HAYWARD January I, 1927 1 ’ * h y a i . CONTENTS INTRODUCTION FOREWORD TO THE SECOND PRINTING VIII Lamps of Ancient Days Early Colonial Lamps — Iron and Tin Later Tin, Pewter, and Brass Lamps . Lanterns Candles and Candle Holders Early Glass Lamps Astral and Luster Lamps and Ornamental Candle Holders . Random Notes on Collecting Index ‘ . 7 7 ‘ r 3 e P ' f PeLUSERATIONS PLATE FACING NUMBER PAGE 1. Four early lighting devices on rare seventeenth- century trestle table , Frontispiece Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gate Mcrcatrer 2. Ancient pottery and bronze lamps. 4 Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton 3. Group of early iron rush-light holders. 5 Collection of Mr. V. M. Hillyer, Baltimore 4. Iron “ Bettys”? and other a dates 8 Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Fiareford 5. Iwo hand-wrought iron candle stands, in front of door of the Iron Master’s House, Saugus . é 9 Courtesy of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus 6. Wrought iron table candle stand 12 Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus 7. Wrought iron hanging candelabrum from an old Virginia mansion ; Yaa He Collection of Mr. Clarence W. Brazer, Chester, Pennsylvania 8. Iron “ Betty” lamps 13 From the author’s collection g. Pair of rare tin three-wick guest-room lamps—one with spice-holder_. 13 Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus 10. Early lamps in copper, tin, brass and earthenware 16 Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan 11. Group of early lamps in tin, iron and pewter 16 Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan 12. Rare wrought iron candle stand with extinguisher and snuffers 17 Collection of Mr. Francis D. Brinton, West Chester, Pennsylvania 13. Interesting iron trammel candle holder with adjustable arm Courtesy of the Worcester Historical Society Unusual tin candle stand for five candles 20 Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester XVIII 20. 21. 22. 23: 24. 25. 26. Ay Se 28. 29. ILLUSTRATIONS . Three early candle stands two of wood, one of iron Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester . Three primitive iron grease lamps Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan. . Three candle lamps Collection of Mr. Henry F Ford, Michigan . Group of early tin lamps . Collection of Doctor C. A. “Quincy Norton, Hartford Rare double iron “ Betty ” lamp Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Brass camphene lamp, tiny whale-oil lamp and extinguisher in tin . Collection of Mr. Horace R. Grant, Hartford, Connecticut Tin “ Betty ” lamp on tin stand =. Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Brass hanging three-burner ship or factory lamp Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Showing an old iron candlestick hanging from a ladder-back chair by its spur ,. Courtesy of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Rare pottery grease oo ; Collection of Mr. F. D. Brinton, West Chesten Pennsyl- vania Wall sconce for single candle with five tin reflectors in wooden frame Collection of Mr. F. D. Brinton West Chester: Pennsyl- vania Early iron open grease lamp Collection of Doctor Robert E. Sievers, Bordentown, New Jersey Pewter bull’s-eye reading lamp with double lens. Front and side view Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Group of pewter lamps. Collection of Doctor C. A. > Nortow Hartford Early tin lamps in unusual designs Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Group of tin lamps Author’s collection yf 24 24 25 28 28 28 28 29 32 — 32 a Be 32 33 36 37 30. cae $2. 33. 34- 35. 36. 37> 38. 39. 40. Al. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47- HOUSTRATIONS Patent whale-oil tumbler lamp and different views of two lamps in previous plate Author’s collection Painted and japanned tin hand lamps __. Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Small tin hand lamps Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Whale-oil and camphene pewter lamps Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Hartford Group of unusual lamps in tin, pewter, brass and iron Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Group of pewter lamps Author’s collection Brass lamps and candlesticks Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Harttord Fine collection of pewter lamps. Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Bull’s-eye watchman’s lantern, early tin candle sconces and candle mould . Author’s collection Pair of folding pocket candlesticks in brass Collection of Mrs, A. C. Marble, Worcester Group of unusual lighting devices Courtesy of Worcester Historical Society Four lanterns of unusual designs. Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Group of pewter lamps. Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Old English tin horn lanthorne Collection of Mr. Horace R. Grant, Yiaied Painted tin and glass whale-oil hand lamp. Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Cast iron grease lamp, said to have been used to light the witchcraft prisoners in Salem jail . . Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Types of old lanterns Collection of Doctor C. A. Fe Norton Hartford Four old pierced tin lanterns Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester XIX 40 41 41 44 45 48 49 52 53 53 56 57 57 60 60 60 61 64 XX 48. 49. 50. 51. ng. 53- 54 55- 56. 57: 58. ILLUSTRATIONS Interesting group of lighting devices Courtesy of Worcester Historical Society Four round iron whale-oil lanterns Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Four candle lanterns in brass and tin Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Three tin lanterns and early tin whale-oil lamp Author’s collection Candlestick with mica chimney . Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Fine type pewter spark or tavern lamp Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Three odd-shaped lanterns Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates: Worcester Four old lanterns (one used on first Worcester Railroad) Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Old wall candle sconce and tinder box in tin, rare iron pistol tinder Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Old lamp in copper, used by early Jesuit missionaries to the Indians Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Varieties of tinder boxes, flints and steels . : Collection of Mr. V. M. Hillyer, Baltimore . Group of candle moulds in tin and pewter Collection of Mr. V. M. Hillyer, Baltimore Group of tin candle moulds Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, ‘Worcester . Interesting group of candlesticks in iron, tin, pewter and brass Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester . Group of snuffers, extinguishers and taper sticks Collection of Mr. V. M. Hillyer, Baltimore Unusual candle sconce with pewter reflectors Collection of Mrs. Henry A. Murray, New York City Tin wall sconce with odd glass reflector . Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem . Tin lard-oil lantern with “ nail-head ” glass Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem 76 76 77 80 Sr sy 84 85 88 88 88 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. Ee a2, o7. “7s 75« 76. 77° 78. 79+ 80. 81. bE LUST RATIONS Old pewter “ Betty ” lamp of unusual shape. Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Pair of candle shades or “ hurricane glasses ” Collection of Mr. Henry Ford, Michigan Three tin wall candle holders, old tin candle box with original moulded candles, rare clay candlestick and tin tinder box Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Group of unusual tin wall sconces Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, CW iwenster Brass candlesticks and lamps Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton. Hartford Collection of rare Bennington ware — candlesticks and one rare lamp base in center Collection of Mr. Baiton N, Gate: Worcester Group of Sandwich glass Dads eae many of the “ Dolphin ” pattern Collection of Mas. Ce W. Mitton, Jamaica Plain, Boston | Pair of moulded and cut Sandwich glass candlesticks with lusters Courtesy of Jordan Marsh Company, Boston Pocket lighting outfit — flint, steel and wooden tinder box Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Group of Sandwich candlesticks in clear, colored and opaque glass. Collection of Mr. Carton N. Gates, Warceter Glass table and spark lamps (many of them probably Sandwich) Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Hartford Group of glass lamps (many Sandwich) Author’s collection Group of rare Sandwich glass lamps Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Unusual glass spark lamps. Collections of Mr. B. N. Gates and Mrs. A. C. Marble, Worcester Sandwich glass lamps of rare patterns Collection of Mrs. George W. Mittony Jamaica Plain, Boston Historical and unusual glass lamps. Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Noreen, Hartford XX1 88 89 92 3 96 oF IOI IO! 104 105 108 109 112 113 116 Xxli 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. gl. 92. 93. 94. 95- ILLUSTRATIONS Group of early Sandwich glass lamps Courtesy of Jordan Marsh Company, Boston Rare Sandwich glass lamps in various colors Collection of Mrs. George W. Mitton, Jamaica Plain, Boston Some unusual patterns in Sandwich glass Courtesy of Jordan Marsh Company, Boston Rare handbill showing the Cambridge works of the New England Glass Company Courtesy of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester Group of patented glass lamps. Collections of Worcester Historical Society and Mr. B. N. Gates Five glass lamps and two candlesticks, all of rare Sandwich patterns Collection of Mrs. George Ww. Mitton, Jamaica Pin Boston Three pairs and two single Sandwich glass lamps of striking designs Courtesy of Jordan Marsh ‘Company, Boston Hall at “‘ Indian Hill ”, West Newbury, Massachusetts, One a fine old hall intern Photograph by Miss M. H. Northend, Salem Pair crystal table candelabra with Wedgwood bases Photograph by Miss M. H. Northend, Salem Another pair of crystal table candelabra, ‘the cut crystals are in both clear and colored glass. : Photograph by Miss M. H. Northend, Salem Dining room at “Indian Hill”, home of the late Mr. Ben Perley Poore, West Newbury, Massachusetts — built about 1680 — showing a beautiful glass hanging chandelier . Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Pair mantel Astral lamps, with double burners, in bronze with cut crystals Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Pair single-burner mantel Astral lamps Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem One of a pair of French gilt and cut crystal wall ie candelabra ; ' Author’s collection I2I 124 125 128 129 132 133 133 136 137 137 140 a a a 96. 97: 98. 99: 100. IOI. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. ILLUSTRATIONS Gilt and cut crystal candelabrum with Watteau figure Author’s collection Elaborately wrought wall bracket for two candles in bronze and festoons of cut crystals Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Pair bronze and marble mantel or table candelabra with cut crystal drops Photograph by Miss Mary. H. Northend, Salem Beautiful set of “ Paul and Virginia ” candelabra with elaborate crystal lusters Photograph by Miss Mary Eke Northend, Salem Central two-burner bronze Astral lamp flanked by one of a pair of side lamps. Elaborate designs with cut drops and lusters Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Gilt and crystal candelabrum standing on a carved and gilded bracket (spread eagle design dating about 1800) Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Tall graceful bronze table lamp with pair of curious glass hand lamps : Photograph by Miss Mary Hi, Northend, Salem Two-burner tall bronze Astral lamp (the ancestor of our modern student lamp) . Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Graceful crystal chandelier with cut drops. Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Tall Astral lamp with bronze base and eee a shade of unusual design Author’s collection Tin whale-oil lantern with odd original glass . Collection of Mrs. Ashbel P. Fitch, Quogue, Long Island Rare Wedgwood hanging chandelier for six candles Collection of Mrs. George W. Mitton, Jamaica Plain, Boston Two Astral lamps with lusters Author’s collection Early iron rush-light holder on wooden base (Left) Collection of Mr. C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus Tin lard-oil lamp with tin reflector (Right) Collection of Mrs. A. A. Dana, West Orange, New Jersey XXIll 140 I41 144 144 145 148 149 149 152 153 153 156 157 157 1$7 XXIV ILLUSTRATIONS 110. Fine example of English or Irish cut crystal chandelier now in home of Mr. Edward D. Brandegee, “ Faulkner Farm ”, Brookline, Massachusetts Rea he Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem 111. ‘T'wo unusual tall lamps, one pewter and one glass, with original shades. Sheffield candlestick : ; Author’s collection 112. Two fine hanging hall lanterns Collection of Mr. Burton N. Gates, Worcester 113. Hanging hall lantern with colored glass shade _ Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem 114. Fine old chandelier with cut crystal pendants. (Note brackets on side. walls) Photograph by Miss } Mary. i. Northend, Salem DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR Clay lamp found in the debris on the site of the ancient City of Nippur in Assyria. Made by rolls of clay wound spirally. The nose for the wick was made separately, then attached, and there are the remains of a rude handle Clay lamp from the ruins of the oes a of Memphis on the Nile Old Hebrew lamp of terra cotta found outside the old walls of Jerusalem, twenty-eight feet below the present surface of the ground. May be Sa as BA of the type } in ay use = the Israelites Soapstone Eskimo lamp (left) known as a ava or ase ia The larger, of hard-baked clay, came from North Alaska ‘Iron Betty lamp which was owned by Captain John Carver, first governor of the Plymouth Colony, and is said to have been purchased by him in Holland gee before cage on the “* Mayflower ” Tin whale-oil lamp used i Abraham Lincoln Railroad lantern used in coaches of first railroad trains between New Haven and Springfield in 1844 Tin lantern for three candles found hidden in oven of old John Brown house in Torrington, Connecticut ‘ 160 161 162 162 163 a a a — —— i el r ih CHAPTER I LAMPS OF ANCIENT DAYS To one who is at all interested in the subject of the develop- ment of lighting from the crude primitive lamps of early New England Pilgrim days, the study of artificial illumination from the earliest times is very essential, as furnishing not only a starting point but a fitting background from which the remark- able changes of the last three centuries stand out with great vividness. If we pick up one of the “ Betty ” lamps, the little iron open wick lamps which the first New England pioneers brought over on the Mayflower and subsequent ships, and which, filled with rank-smelling fish oil, furnished what little light they had, aside from the blazing logs in the crude fireplaces of the log huts, during those gloomy winter days of 1620 and following years; we must hark back thousands of years, for this Plymouth lamp of 1620 a.p. is identical in design and principle with lamps found in excavating the buried cities of Greece, Rome and other once famous and populous countries of Asia, Europe and Africa — but now only a memory — some of them dating as far back as 6000 B.c. Compare the Plate 2 with Plate 4 showing a collection of lamps from Doctor Norton: the resem- blance is startling, which brings us to the astounding fact that while civilization was advancing steadily and at times swiftly, and remarkable progress was being made in art, science, learning and handicraft of almost every kind, such an essential and important thing as artificial lighting remained practically at the same point for at least ten thousand years, and it is only 4 COLONIAL LIGHTING within the last two hundred years that the tremendous ad- vance was accomplished. The origin of the first lamp is hidden in the dark and mysterious recesses of time at the beginning of history. For myself I can see a picture of some vigorous and powerful specimen of a cave man, returning from a successful hunt, his stone weapons in his hand and his quarry flung across his shoulders. He comes to the entrance of his cave house and flings down his burden while he seeks rest and warmth by the open fire which is carefully guarded and kept alive from the smouldering embers of the last great thunder storm when jagged bolts of lightning started a devastating forest fire. His female companion takes the slaughtered animal, crudely dresses it and props it up in front of the fire for roasting. Idly watching, the cave man sees that some of the fat from the roasting meat has dripped down on the rock and has formed a tiny pool, and into this as he looks, from one of the logs just placed on the fire, drops a tiny bit of dry moss, all ablaze. It floats about on the surface of the oily pool, sending up a spiral of smoke from its tiny flame. His attention is called away by some sounds in the forest yonder and he forgets it for the time. After a bit his eyes idly light on it again to observe that it still floats and burns with increased energy. The meat is now ready and he tears off a portion for himself and then the rest is distributed among the others of his family. When he has finished and he goes to renew the fire which has burned down to a bed of embers, he notices the floating moss still burning with a small, hot, steady flame and then and there is formed the idea of the first lamp. He goes out and picks up from the refuse heap the skull of some small animal, into which he puts some of the hot, melted fat and lighting a piece of dry moss drops it in, and the first lamp made by the hand of man has come into being. When one considers how much of the world’s business and Sue Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Hartford eT ee 2 See pages 3,9, 10 ANCIENT POTTERY AND BRONZE LAMPS £6 ‘26 ‘9 sasvd a9 SUTCIOH LHOIT-HSNU NOUI ATYVA AO dNOUO ES BG a cial Be adOUltyjoT "AW fO u01]997]0) “tH “WA aver > OK ANCIENT VY DAYS 5 pleasure has been done after the sun has disappeared, it seems strange that the ingenuity of man, so abundantly exercised in other directions, should not have been turned to the subject of artificial lighting and that the absurdly inadequate and crude methods of those very ancient days should have been accepted, apparently without serious protest, almost up to the present. When, however, the change did come, it was most rapid and from the glittering, gorgeous “ White Way ” of a twentieth century metropolis back to the days of our Pilgrim forefathers seems like a journey of innumerable ages, while it is really only a span of some six or eight generations. It may be fairly assumed that, next to implements of warfare, stone and clay lamps were among the first articles for domestic use made by the hand of man. Al- most all the large museums of the world have collections of lamps which have been found in exca- vating the sites of cities which have grown to prominence and fame, been the seat of opu- lence, luxury and the higher civilization of the times and have finally disappeared and been covered by the dust and debris of centuries and then quite frequently furnished the sites of yet other cities which have passed through the same cycle. This little drawing is of an old lamp of sun-dried clay from the collection of Doctor Norton of Hartford, Connecticut. It was found many feet beneath the surface on the site of the city of Nippur, one of the oldest of the Babylonian cities, near the entrance to the King’s Library. As this city was destroyed more than six thousand years before Christ, it makes the age of this lamp at least eight thousand years. Excavations in Egypt, Asia Minor, and southern Europe, in the countries of the older civilizations, among the household utensils often yield lamps, or parts of lamps, which find their way into the museums. 6 COLONIAL LIGHTING The very earliest of these lamps are usually of clay, either sun-dried or kiln-burned, and of course are fragile and easily broken. Later they were cut from rock; and finally when the use of ores became known they were fashioned from iron, bronze and other metals, but invariably the shape was the same, no matter of what material made: a hollow receptacle for the oil, either open or covered, a handle for carrying it, on one side, and opposite it a little trough or gutter in which the wick rested. As civilization advanced the lamps assumed a more artistic aspect. The shapes became less clumsy, the general appearance more graceful and delicate ornamentation began to appear on those carved from stone or cast from bronze or other metals. Both the Greeks and the Romans made lamps from alabaster and metals which show both in workmanship and de- sign artistic ability of a very high order. Lamps are frequently referred to in ancient writings. Homer, the Greek poet, writ- ing about 950 B.c. speaks of the lamps and torches used in the temples, and Heroditus in 445 B.c. describes the proces- sion of lamps, a festival held at Sais in Egypt, and remarks upon the vast number and variety of lamps there displayed. An early mention in the Bible is found in the fifteenth chapter of Genesis — God is making his covenant with Abram and tells him to build an altar and place sacrifices thereon and then the record says: And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace and a burning lamp [or a torch] that passed between those pieces. DAMPS OF ANCIENT DAYS 7 Again there is more specific mention of lamps as we use the word in the account in the twenty-fifth chapter of Exodus of the directions for making the golden candlestick (or more properly a golden lamp stand) for the tabernacle. In the thirty-first verse we find: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold, of beaten work shall the candlestick be made; his shaft and his branches, his bowls, his knops and his flowers shall be made of the same — and six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side. Then in the thirty-seventh verse: And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof; and they shall light the lamps thereof; that they may give light over against it. And in the twenty-seventh chapter, the twentieth verse we read: And thou shalt command the children of Israel that they bring thee pure olive oil beaten for the light to cause the lamp to burn always. And again in the thirty-seventh chapter, the twenty- third verse,—“ And he made his seven lamps and his snuffers and his snuff dishes of pure gold ”,— showing that ornamental lamps burning with a wick in olive oil were well known by Hebrew artisans at that early date. In Greece and Rome at most of the out-of-door celebrations and arena games as well as the larger feasts indoors, the illumi- 8 COLONIAL LIGH Pie nation was by torches in metal baskets of resinous woods, fats and other inflammable material, and one of the early Greek writers in speaking of the pale smoky flame from fats and oils says, “ One could not enjoy the good things of the table until his indulgence in wine had made him indifferent to the stench of the smoking lamps.” A variety may be found ina very primitive and ancient form of torch or huge candle made up of long stalks of flax or rushes pressed together and saturated with grease or tallow. As this burns freely and rather rapidly, it is kept coiled up and pulled out as fast as it 1s consumed. ‘These were used at the olden Hebrew weddings and other ceremonial occasions and were undoubtedly what was referred to by Jesus, when He said, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory.” These rush lights were also used extensively among the poorer people of Europe and also to a limited extent by the early Pilgrims in New England and were made in the same way — hollow reed, or rushes saturated with tallow or fat and made in long rib- bons, burning them in rush light holders as shown in Plate 3. One curious fact is that the only aborigines of this continent known to have lamps were the Esquimaux, whose lamps of stone, clay, or bone were a very important and highly prized part of their household equipment. Oil of the seal, whale, and walrus was burned in these lamps, moss furnishing the wick, ¢ ¢ LI ‘gl SE sasod 399 SdNVI ATUVA YWAHLO GNV . SALLAG,, NOU aS be Boo Ee (a9 ab} PAOLJAD ET ‘UOMAON ‘CQ * VY °ZD 40720q fo uo172a]/0D Courtesy of C. Lawrence Cooney, Saugus NAIR SBI S See pages 82, 87, &S TWO HAND-WROUGHT IRON CANDLE STANDS, TAKEN IN FRONT OF THE DOOR OF THE IRON MASTER'S HOUSE, SAUGUS ra G C= >. Ee Poe ee, a ee a ian > “ . =D ea : Peers OF ANCIENT DAYS 9 and the Esquimaux often made long, hard journeys to the places where they could obtain the soapstone. So highly valued were they that no young man was considered ready to marry unless he could show at least one or more lamps, which became the dowry of the bride and in the family life were the par- ticular pride and care of the women. But no trace of lamps of any kind has been found among the ruins left by the mound builders and other very early inhabitants of this country, and none was known by the Indians roaming the forests and hunting grounds when found by the first white men. Plate 2 gives views of a very interesting collection of ancient lamps gathered together by the late Doctor C. A. Quincy Nor- ton of Hartford, Connecticut, who became very much interested in the subject of lighting and spent a number of years traveling about the country, gathering specimens illustrating different periods in the gradual development, and particularly lamps having some historic association. He planned to use his collection to illustrate a book on the evolution of lighting, with particular emphasis on the work of the colonists of America, which should be an exhaustive and authoritative treatise on the subject, but unfortunately he died before his book was completed and his vast store of information on the subject was lost to the world. After his death his collection was dispersed by auction sale in New York and several of the plates in this book are from the catalogue of that sale. Perhaps his most attractive (to us at least) lamps are those associated with famous men and women — some of those are shown here in this book and will be referred to in later chapters. His collection of ancient lamps was very interesting. In Plate 2, Numbers 1 and 2 are small lamps, some three inches in length made of sun-baked clay, and were found on the site of the buried city of Nippur in Babylonia. As this city was destroyed at least six thousand years before Christ, it means eo) COLONIAL LIGHTING that the potter’s hands who fashioned them worked some eight thousand or more years ago. Numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, while not so old, long outdate the Christian era and were found buried among the ruins of Rome and cities of Egypt and Palestine. Numbers 11, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are also clay lamps : of a somewhat later period, most of them of Grecian origin and showing a decided development in form and decoration. Numbers 21 and 22, while quite similar in shape, were found far apart. They show an open or saucer-shaped lamp of clay with a slight depression in one side for the wick. Number 21 came from Armenia and is supposed to be at least two thousand years old, while Number 22 was found in the north of Scot- land and dates back to about the fifteenth century. These open saucer lamps, either in pottery or iron, are occasionally found here, in New England or in the South, and are often locally known as “ grease lamps ” or sometimes called “ slut lamps”, but as they were very crude the number used must have been limited and they were soon superseded by better and more efficient ones. Number 32 is a carved soap- stone lamp from Japan and dates from the twelfth century. It is interesting to note how closely the lines of these lamps follow one another though coming from places so widely separated. Numbers 97, 109, 118 are all bronze lamps, probably of Grecian origin, while Number 343 is from Rome. Number 132 is a very early Christian lamp, bronze, of undoubted Roman make and probably dates from the first or second century. It is in unusually fine condition for one so old. These lamps, stretching over centuries, from many parts of the world, give us the starting point from which the active minds and brains of our own ancestors gradually evolved, slowly at first, then much more rapidly, keeping pace with the economic and intellectual development of the times, the various lighting devices which are the subject of the succeeding chapters. CHAPTER II EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS—IRON AND TIN Tue first Pilgrim lamp was of the type known to-day as the iron “ Betty ” as shown in the drawing. Captain John Carver, first Governor of Plymouth Colony, purchased in Holland just before he sailed a Dutch iron “ Betty ” lamp, the feeble light of which undoubtedly helped to make less gloomy that crowded cabin from which dates so much of our history. Such small iron lamps, as may be seen, were very similar in shape to the old Greek, Roman and Assyrian ones and precisely the same in principle. The body was usually cast or wrought in one solid piece, with the nose or spout for the wick to lie in at one end, and a short, curved upright handle opposite. To this handle were often attached a short linked chain with an iron spindle and hooked end, and also a slender iron pick to free the wick when it became crusted with soot or carbon. The spindle was used either to hang up the lamp from the top of the chair where the reader sat or to fasten it in position by sticking the sharp end between the stones of the fireplace. Oil was obtained from the swarms of small fish found in great abundance all along the coast; but the light was very feeble, the wick con- stantly crusting over, and the odor of the burning fish oil any- thing but agreeable. ae i) COLONIAL LIGHT ia Another very common form of illumination in those early days was what is known as “ Candle-Wood.” Pieces of the resinous pitch pine, so common all along the wooded New England coast, were cut in length and size not unlike large candles and stuck between the stones of the crude fireplaces or in improvised holders. They burned freely, giving quite a bright flame with, however, considerable smoke; and since the only expense was the time and trouble of cutting and drying the wood, they were used very generally for many years. It was common at night to see the family gathered round the big stone fireplace, often in the only room of comfortable size in the crude log house. On the hearth a fire of huge logs briskly burned, and two or three of the resinous candle-wood torches either stuck in the sides of the fireplace between the stones, or standing upright on the hearth — supplemented the light from the burning logs. By these mingled lights the good man could see to read the Bible, which he had brought with him from the old country; while the mother spun her flax or wool for the family clothing or industriously drove her shuttle back and forth in the big loom over in the corner; and while the children in their seats near the sides of the great fireplace studied from the few primitive books which they had, or did their daily stents in needlework. Many families laid in each winter a large supply of this candlewood, which for many years in the poorer homes all over New England was the common illuminant for the long winter evenings. One of the Pilgrim Fathers, writing in 1642, says of these candle-wood torches, “ Out of these Pines is gotten the candle- wood that is so much spoken of, which may serve as a shift among the poorer folks; but I cannot commend it for singular good, because it droppeth a pitchy kind of substance where it stands.” This form of lighting, however, seems to have been in general use for many years. It is said that Eliot, the apostle Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus PAAR O See page SI FINE WROUGHT IRON TABLE CANDLE STAND WROUGHT IRON HANGING CANDELABRUM FROM AN OLD VIRGINIA MANSION Collection of Clarence W. Brazer, Chester Pea er a7, See page go Collection of the Author ee Ep ANGE IRON “BETTY”? LAMPS See pages 14, 16 Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus PLATE 9 See page 27 PAIR OF RARE TIN THREE-WICK GUEST-ROOM LAMPS — ONE WITH SPICE-HOLDER EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 13 to the Indians, translated the Bible into the Indian tongue by the light of these pine torches. The very first Pilgrim lamps were the few brought over from England and the continent in the Mayflower and other ships, but the enterprise and spirit of independence so manifest in these sturdy pioneers soon asserted itself. Upon the dis- covery about 1630 of a deposit of bog iron some ten miles from Boston in that section of the country now within the limits of the town of Saugus, a primitive smelter was set up and the manufacture commenced of iron utensils such as pots, kettles, simple agricultural and carpenters’ tools, and, doubtless, “Betty ” lamps; for we find quite a variety of shapes in the various collections of these lamps which have been preserved. The house of the master of this earliest of New England foundries, which is still standing, is well worth visiting. Originally built in 1639, it was discovered and acquired a few years since by Mr. Wallace Nutting, a gentleman intensely interested in everything pertaining to early New England. At the time he bought it, many of its original lines had been changed —its sturdy hand-hewn oak frames covered with laths and plaster, its fireplaces bricked up, its old stairs removed, and many other changes made. With the help of competent architects and interested antiquarians, he made a careful study of the house to determine the original lines. After slow, deli- cate labor to uncover the original wood and brick work and to replace parts destroyed, he had the satisfaction of restoring _ © Broadhearth ”, as he called it, to something probably very like its original appearance both inside and out, so that to-day it stands as one of the best examples of very early American houses in New England. Since many of those early houses were destroyed in the numerous encounters with the Indians, doubtless the preservation of ‘‘ Broadhearth ” is due to the fact that, when the deposit of bog iron was discovered, a smelter set up, and operations begun, the iron master surrounded his 14 COLONIAL LIGHT it house, which was most pretentious for that early date, with the dwellings of a small army of workmen sufficiently strong to ward off the predatory attacks of roving Indian bands. Mr. C. L. Cooney, a well-known collector and antiquarian of Boston, was its recent owner. He was fitting “ Broad- hearth ” out entirely with early New England furnishings from his large collection, aiming to preserve it as an educational specimen most valuable to the youth of to-day, but has recently died. An extended study of its interesting features, both out- side and within, will well repay any one interested in the social history of New England. Later than the development of Saugus iron, as ships brought supplies from England, tin was substituted for iron, since it 1s lighter, neater and more easily made. We find one pattern of lamp called the “ Ipswich Betty ” and another the “ Newbury- port Betty ”, from the settlements where they were made, both closely following the lines of the iron lamps. Some, instead of being made to hang like the iron “ Betty ”, were attached to stands and were even made adjustable so that the light could be moved up or down at the will of the reader. In Plate 17, Number 396, Doctor Norton shows a tin “ Betty ” similar in shape to the iron one in the writer’s collection (Plate 8). But in all the lamps the same objectionable open wick, which gave little light but much smoke and smell, prevailed; and the constant crusting over of the wick made the incessant use of the pick a very troublesome necessity. To overcome this trouble in some measure, an unknown but ingenious mechanic entirely enclosed the wick in a circular tube. The body of the lamp with the round nose or wick spout still at the side as shown in Plates 10, 17, 29 and 51 was now made larger and deeper to hold more oil, and some lamps were furnished with two wicks, one on each side, thus doubling the light. | A rather curious feature of many of these lamps shows the habit of thrift even in so small a matter as the amount of oil — EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 15 a commodity although by no means scarce or expensive, at the same time not to be lightly wasted. This economical de- vice was an extra spout immediately beneath the wick spout proper. This curved tin gutter was intended to save the oil, which, drawn up by the wick faster than it could burn, dripped down over the edge of the nose, was caught by the projecting rim beneath, and was carried down underneath the main body of the lamp itself to a separate receptacle where it would be collected for use again. Since these lamps, as well as the iron and tin “‘ Bettys ”, are not at all common, they are well worth finding and collecting. An early step from this stage of lamp design was the placing of the wick tube upright on the top of the lamp. This form continued to be made for a long time. In the meantime, while these various changes had been taking place in the shape of the lamp itself, changes had also been made in the fluids used for fuel. At the very first the cil was tried out of the livers of the fish most conveniently at hand, with little or no attempt to refine it, but the very dis- agreeable odor and the insufficient amount of light given soon brought about a search for a more satisfactory illuminant. In the early days, whales were very abundant all along the New England coast. I do not know who first discovered the fact that the sperm and right whales yielded in great quantity an oil which made an excellent illuminant, but, beginning earlier than 1680 and continuing for nearly a hundred years, whale fishing carried on from the shore in small boats became a common and quite important industry of many towns all along the New England coast. Along toward the middle of the eighteenth century the whales became so scarce that it was necessary to employ larger vessels and go much farther away forthem. The whaling industry then became a very important one for a number of New England seaports and entered so much into every day life that at least one of the old fishing 16 COLONIAL LIGH Tike villages on Cape Cod in town meeting passed an ordinance that the heads of all whales captured by the townspeople should be given the minister. The little town of Nantucket, on the island of that name just off the southern coast of Massachu- setts, from about 1700 to 1758, it is stated, “ had more vessels employed in whaling than any other New England port.” Later, however, New Bedford came to the front and held the supremacy for many years, until the discovery and introduc- tion of kerosene as an illuminant lessened the demand for the sperm oil. | One interesting and significant feature of all “ Betty ” and “ Phoebe ” lamps is the similarity of design, a point illustrated clearly by Plate 4, showing iron lamps from Doctor Norton’s collection. Numbers 72 and 73 vary from the usual “ Betty ” form in that each has a double base, doubtless to catch the drip- pings from the burning wick. This design is commonly called the “ Phoebe ” lamp. The two reproduced are old specimens from Normandy, whereas Number 60 is said to have been found in a mountain cave in Armenia and is thought to be even older. Number 168, an iron hanging lamp dating back more than three centuries, came from a small town in Italy. Al- though found in widely separated parts of the world, all these lamps are identical in size, shape, and burning arrangement. The three New England “ Betty ” lamps in the author’s collection, shown in Plate 8, though similar in size and general appearance, illustrate some differences. The perfect one,. hav- ing the staple to hang it by as well as the wick pick, is almost identical in shape with the famous Governor Carver lamp, a drawing of which is on page 11. In this lamp an opening in the centre of the top is covered by a sliding iron plate. The lid of the iron lamp with a slightly rounded bottom covers the entire top and hinges at the base of the curved handle so that it lifts up and down instead of sliding sideways. The hanging staple in this lamp is much larger than that of the first lamp and the ; . , Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan EAS OR) See pages I4, 30, 31 EAREY LAMPS IN COPPER, TIN, BRASS AND EARTHENWARE Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan Peer ti) rr See page 30 BARLY “LAMPS IN TIN, TRON AND PEWTER Collection of Francis D. Brinton, West Chester, Pennsylvania LEAT Ea See pages 87, 89 BEAUTIFUL WROUGHT IRON CANDLE STAND WITH EXTINGUISHER AND SNUFFERS a 4 Pam y COLONIAL LAMPS 17 stem of it is twisted in a crude attempt at ornamentation. The third lamp, probably of a later date, is more carefully made. The bottom and top of the body, which is box-shaped, were cast separately and riveted together. The curved handle is also riveted on. The cover is unlike either of the other two in that it is hinged across the middle. All these lamps have circular openings cut out for the wick and each of the first two has a separate lip or spout, quite noticeable, for the wick to lie in. The chain and pick of this last lamp evidently do not belong to it. Plate 4, Number 157 shows still another variation of the “Betty.” This specimen, found in old Quebec, has, instead of the usual curved handle, a straight back with openings through which may run an upright rod controlled by a spring so that the lamp may be raised or lowered at the reader’s con- venience. But toa New Englander by far the most interesting lamp on this page is Number 100 in the centre of the lower row. Cast from heavy iron in the form of a cup and saucer with places for wicks in both the cup and base and with an iron handle to carry it by, this. lamp is authentically reported to have been cast at the Saugus iron foundry and to have been used in 1692 during that strange and dark period in early New England history marked by “ witchcraft” in Salem. The rude severity of this lamp well symbolizes the uncanny events of which it was a witness. In Plate 45 appears a somewhat similar grease lamp of cast iron, also connected with Salem witchcraft; for it is believed to have been used in the Salem prison during the trial and imprisonment of those accused. It stands about six inches high and holds in a little lip the wick of twisted rag. Being myself a native of Salem and accustomed to see fre- quently Gallows Hill where the executions took place, I have taken some pains to acquaint myself with the history of that period and with the scenes brought vividly to mind by these 18 COLONIAL LIGHTIMG lamps as connecting links between the present and that in- glorious past. There are several facts which should be taken into account when considering how such an hysteria or insanity could have spread so rapidly and taken such an extraordinary hold upon entire communities of sober, industrious, upright, God-fear- ing and intelligent people. | The colonists after undergoing in their home country perse- cutions, many of them most bitter, had established themselves in a new and strange land; surrounded by deep, heavy forests in which were wild animals and wilder and fiercer savage foes; obliged to endure untold hardships of privation, disease, hunger, biting cold, and ruthless attack; burdened with heavy taxes; thrown into dismay and uncertainty of their future by the loss of their charter; and their coast settlements invested by hostile sea-pirates and privateers so that commerce was nearly at a standstill. The colony was in just the mental condition to be swept by the fear of witchcraft, a belief in which was com- mon in England and on the Continent for centuries. The mis- chief began early in 1692 in the family of the Reverend Mr. Parris, the minister in charge of the religious society in what was then Salem Village, now a part of Danvers. His daughter and niece, together with a young girl of the neighborhood named Ann Putnam — three children from ten to fifteen years old — began to act in a strange manner, putting themselves in odd postures, making queer gestures and noises, and attracting the attention of the family. There seemed to be no explana- tion and physicians were called in. One of them in an evil hour gave it as his opinion that the children were bewitched — that is, they were in the power of some one who had sold herself to the evil one or Satan. The belief that such bargains were possible was by no means uncommon in England and scattered examples of witchcraft had already been found in the new colony here. Some one or two other young girls of the neigh- BomtsyY COLONIAL LAMPS 19 borhood began to exhibit similar traits. The Reverend Parris called a council of the neighboring ministers to devote a day to religious services that the power of the evil one might be over- come. During these exercises the children had frequent and violent convulsive fits. The news of this peculiar behavior spread rapidly and many came to witness the strange sights. When the public had been wrought up sufficiently to demand public investigation, the children, after having been asked repeatedly to name the person or persons attacking them, were forced to designate their supposed persecutors. The first accused or, as the phrase of those days was, “ cried out upon ”, was an old West Indian * woman, a servant in the Parris family. An account reads: “‘ By operating upon the old creature’s fears and imagination, and, as there is some reason to apprehend, by using severe treatment toward her, she was made to confess that the charge was true and that she was in league with the devil.” We can easily imagine the effect of this confession on the public mind. The suspicious and credulous were confirmed in their belief, the more suggestible developed in their fright symptoms of nervous disorder that were interpreted as evidence that they were bewitched, and those with serious doubts were usually not courageous enough to stand against popular opinion, though some, notably the minister of the Old South Church in Boston, the Reverend Samuel Willard, and one or two of the judges expressed their disbelief and disapproval of the pro- ceedings. Accusations against others quickly followed, and those ac- cused were at once thrown into prison so that the jails of Salem, 1 An authority on colonial history made the claim recently that the Indian woman referred to was an “ East” Indian, though without documentary evidence to prove the statement. All the old accounts and original manuscripts simply say “an Indian woman in Mr. Parris’ family.” Woodward in his “ Witchcraft De- lusion in New England” quotes this passage from Hanson’s “‘ History of Danvers ” in a footnote: “An Indian woman named Titubba (Titiba or Titibe) said to have been a slave formerly in New Spain (WestIndies) ... When arrested and searched, the marks on her body produced by the sting of the Spaniard’s whip were said to be made by the Devil.” 20 COLONIAL LIGHT Boston, Cambridge, and other towns were crowded with sup- posed witches. | Some unfortunately, to save their lives, confessed that the charges were true, which only added fuel to the fire now freely burning. Every man’s life was at the mercy of every other man, and many a private grudge was promptly indulged. One account adds: “ Fear sat on every countenance, terror and distress were in all hearts; silence pervaded the streets; many of the people left the country; all business was at a stand, and the feeling, dismal and horrible indeed, became general that the providence of God was removed from them and that they were given over to the dominion of Satan.” The arrests were not confined to the poor and unfortunate but included some in the highest walks, among them a Mrs. English, the wife of a Salem merchant of great wealth, whose accusers acted, it has been implied, through social jealousy. One of the judges was accused and also a member of the imme- diate family of Doctor Increase Mather, the famous divine, at that time president of Harvard College. Reverend George Burroughs of Wells was not only imprisoned, tried and con- victed, but suffered death rather than increase the dangerous delusion by confessing himself guilty of the crime. Considering the state of the public mind, it is greatly to the credit of the courts that, of the innumerable persons accused, only twenty met their deaths. Nineteen were hanged; one, Giles Corey, was pressed to death; but none was burned as many people believe to this day. Not all of them came from Salem — though court was held there — but from Andover, Ipswich, Marblehead, Topsfield, and other towns. Most of the persons executed were of ad- vanced age and some left large families of children. Some of the accused fled the country before they could be apprehended and a few escaped from jail. One young man effected his From the Worcester Historical Society Collection of B. N. Gates, Worcester Pid Loe 79 See pages 94, 95 INTERESTING IRON TRAMMEL CANDLE HOLDER WITH ADJUSTABLE ARM UNUSUAL TIN CANDLE STAND FOR FIVE CANDLES Worcester ates, G Burton N ton of ect Coll See pages 58, 89 ONE OF IRON PLATE r4 >} STANDS — TWO OF "WOoOp THREE EARLY CANDLE a EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 21 mother’s escape and fled with her on horseback to conceal her in a large swamp near what is now Danvers, where he fed her and cared for her until the danger was passed and it was safe to bring her home. The wicked spell was, however, broken when Mrs. Hale, the wife of the minister of the First Church of Beverly, was accused. She was a woman of such noble character and dis- tinguished virtues that she had endeared herself to the whole community, so that when she was made a victim it caused a storm of protest. Many were convinced that the accusers had deluded themselves, and from that moment the storm sub- sided as rapidly as it rose. In addition to the twenty who lost their lives — Reverend George Burroughs of Wells, Samuel Wardwell of Andover, Wilmot Reed of Marblehead, Margaret Scott of Rowley, Susanna Martin of Amesbury, Elizabeth How of Ipswich, Sarah Wildes and Mary Easty of Topsfield, Martha Carrier and Mary Parker of Andover, John Proctor, John Willard, Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey of Salem Vil- lage, George Jacobs, Jr., Alice Parker, Ann Pudeater, Bridget Bishop (alias Oliver) and Giles Corey of Salem — eight women were in prison condemned to die, more than fifty others had escaped death only by confessing themselves guilty, one hundred and fifty more were in prison awaiting trial, and some two hundred more had been accused. All these in jail, includ- ing those condemned to death, were released. It is the opinion popularly accepted to-day that the children began in a spirit of mischief, perhaps with a fancied grudge against certain persons in view, and upon seeing the credulity of their parents and neighbors and that they were the center of so much attention, kept on in a spirit of bravado; but this explanation alone is wholly inadequate. It is by no means certain that the children were shamming even at first. Hysteria and temporary insanity are not un- 22 COLONIAL LIGH Tita known in adolescent children to-day. In that day and in a community in its third generation of constant danger without and religious tension within, such nervous disorders were to be expected. Developed in one child, the symptoms would spread irresistibly by imitation to her playmates and would be exagger- ated as they spread. Supposing for a moment that the first symptoms were not hysterical but merely child’s play, possibly some tricks of magic learned from the West Indian woman; what child of ten could fail to become hysterical when grave elders and authoritative doctors told her that she was certainly in the power of witches? The subsequent treatment of the children was enough to drive them to worse madness than pointing out the person they knew who was most like what they imagined a witch to be. The subsequent exhibition of the children to the most impressionable was enough to spread the hysteria. No one acquainted with the time and place can doubt that it was a fertile field for crowd insanity. No one who reads contemporary accounts can doubt that something very real and very serious ailed the victims. The cause is a different question. In all fairness it must be remembered that as long as a popular belief in witchcraft prevailed, unscrupulous persons were likely to be found who made use of this belief by pre- tending to supernatural powers and by using the influence they thus obtained as best suited their purposes. Some of these “witches ” were of course deluded by the theories of the day, their own thaumaturgy, and the behavior of their victims to suppose that they were actually in league with the powers of evil. And so they were as far as their purposes were malevo- lent. Incidentally the Calvinist doctrine of predestination to be damned tended to thrust the unbalanced toward diabolism. The law of to-day like the law of yesterday recognizes that those who pretend to exercise the power of magic should be punished, though the Biblical penalty is no longer the legal BARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 233 one. Whether any person or persons in Salem practiced witch- craft in this sense is probably open to doubt. That many were really suspected and that any who were guilty deserved punish- ment is not doubtful at all. The proceedings of the Salem court cannot be labeled hysterical and malicious any more than the danger to the community can be labeled child’s play. Court records and contemporary history as well as the small number of executions in proportion to the number of indictments in- dicate cautious procedure. Furthermore, by excluding spectral evidence the Salem court established a precedent that was followed by European courts and did more than anything else to end prosecutions for witchcraft throughout the world. It is worth recording that, after the reign of terror had passed, many who had been most active in their prosecutions repented of their folly and did all in their power to make amends to those who had been accused but afterward released. Judge Sewall of Boston, one of the judges on the bench at the trials, during the remainder of his life annually spent a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer in his own home, and on the day set for the general fast, had read from the pulpit of the Old South Church where he worshipped (he himself stood during the reading) a confession of his error in these cases and prayed the forgiveness of God and the people for the part which he unwittingly had taken in the condemnation of the innocent. So ends a very sad chapter in Massachusetts history, caught sight of by the flicker of a long-extinguished lamp. Iron lamps seem not to have remained long in favor; at any rate, genuine old specimens are quite rare and hard to find. They were soon superseded by tin lamps, made in infinite vari- ety until well into the beginning of the nineteenth century. They were easily made, durable, efficient, and inexpensive. All of these qualities recommended them for common use so that even when, after a time, more elaborate glass lamps, 24 COLONIAL LIGHTING candlesticks and candelabra came into favor, they never quite forced out the tin lamps for common use. ? One very interesting thing about collecting lamps, especially — tin, pewter, and glass, is the great variety in design and often ingenuity exhibited in their manufacture. Since they were made during a long period, something like two hundred years, it is often very difficult, sometimes impossible, to give an ap- proximate idea of their age unless one is fortunate enough to be personally acquainted with the history of the particular speci- men. Asa general rule the first ones made naturally followed closely the lines of the “ Betty ” lamps. One very odd and ingenious tin lamp in my possession is illustrated in Plate 29, the left-hand lamp in the top row. I have seen only a few like it and there is no mention of any such lamp in Doctor Norton’s collection, so I judge it must be quite uncommon. The center cylinder, which has a tin handle and rests in a saucer-like base, is fitted with a threaded shaft running through, and protruding from, the top. This shaft has a tight, heavy piece of leather at the top of the cylinder, fitting snugly. At the bottom, and connecting with it, is a smaller cylinder, oval in form, which contains the wick — a flat wide one. The large cylinder was filled with oil, or per- haps some semiliquid fat like chicken grease; the top was then put on and the oil or fat, feeding down through the bottom into the side cylinder, was there picked up by the wick to feed the flame. If the oil did not feed freely enough, the top protruding from the large cylinder (the end of which was squared to fit a clock key) was turned, forcing the tight leather plunger or head down into the cylinder and conse- quently forcing the fat or oil through the bottom into the sec- ond cylinder, high enough for the wick to suck it up. In cer- tain country districts where cheese was made, after the cheese had been put in the press there was a liquid residue containing much butter fat. This fat was carefully removed, clarified, Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan Pla LE rs THREE PRIMITIVE IRON GREASE LAMPS Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan Se AlE 16 THREE CANDLE LAMPS ee page 10? SdNVI NIL ATUVA AO dNOUAO AI- a Riel ad psofjAD HT ‘U0jAON 'O*V “DO 40720 fo uo1221/0) EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 25 and used in broad-wicked lamps called “ whey butter lamps.” It is quite possible that this lamp is one of them. The two similar tin lamps, called sometimes shop lamps, one in the lower left-hand corner of Plate 51 and the other the right-hand one in the upper row of Plate 29 in the writer’s pos- session, are early specimens and interesting in having drip pans to allow the superfluous oil to run into the separate removable compartments. One is a hanging lamp and the other sits in a tin plate with a turned up edge. One occasionally runs across some piece which is quite strange and unusual. One afternoon while I was visiting Mr. C. L. Cooney, who was a very enthusiastic and well-informed collector, he showed me the curious lamp shown in Plate 57. This lamp is striking in design, workmanship, and material, because it is fashioned from copper —a rather rare metal in early lamps. The lamp is very old, but beautifully made. It consists of a long shallow box, divided by partitions into eight small compartments of equal size; over each compartment in the hinged cover is fitted a small wick tube holding a wick run- ning down into the box beneath. The story is that this lamp was used by the early Jesuit missionaries among the Indians. These devout and self-sacrificing men, in order to teach the Indian converts the efficacy of prayer, divided these lamps into separate compartments, each of the same size, holding the same quantity of oil, thus signifying that every soul had the same value in God’s sight. Each person was assigned a separate wick, the chiefs always the first and last fonts. Prayers were said while the lamps burned until each oil font was exhausted. This lamp, said to be the only one of its kind in existence, was formerly in the possession of Archbishop Burke of Albany, New York. In both design and material it is strikingly like the old Hanukkah lamps used by the Jews in their festival. Pos- sibly the Jesuit missionaries came into possession of one of them and adapted it to their own needs in their work among 26 COLONIAL LIGH Dias the Indians. ‘This rare and valuable piece links the present to that distant past when, for the faith, devout men both Catholic and Protestant, literally took their lives in their hands to plunge into that vast and uncharted wilderness inhabited by savage Indians, in order that the Gospel might be brought to them. Could this lamp talk, it would doubtless tell many tales of al- most incredible hardships endured by these faithful Jesuits, and of beautiful self-sacrifice and devotion to the tenets of their Church. This rare lamp should some day come to its final resting place among the hallowed relics of the Roman Catholic Church. In Plate 1 is a group of iron lamps on a table equally inter- esting and rare, the property of Mr. B. N. Gates of Worcester. It is an example of the trestle-table, or candle-stand, and prob- ably dates from the seventeenth century, so it is quite in the period of the lamps it holds, wonderfully fine and perfect pieces. The first on the left is of course a “ Betty ” of wrought iron. The workmanship is noticeably good: it has a hinged cover, and though it has no pick like that on the lamp of similar design in the author’s collection, the staple to suspend the lamp from the logs of the walls or the stones of the fireplace is of the exact length to use as a wick pick. Whether this peculiarity of design was intentional or only a coincidence, nevertheless it is an interesting fact. The second specimen is an iron rush-light holder, descrip- tions of which will be taken up in the chapter devoted to candles and candlesticks. This holder also is a fine piece of iron work, probably made in England, although equally good work of a similar character was turned out from the forges of many New England blacksmith-shops. ; The third lamp is as fine an instance as I have ever seen of the extremely rare double “ Betty ”, or, as it was often called, “ Phoebe ” lamp. The top part, or lamp proper, slides up and down on the flat iron upright and can be detached. In fact, EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS As when Mr. Gates bought it, it had been put on the handle, back side to, and also used as a lamp, making two suspended from the one handle. These lamps are much cruder and more simple than the regular “ Bettys ” and have no cover or wick trough, the twisted rag serving as a wick simply lying in the nose. There is nice work here in the end of the handle and in the slender iron rod with the shepherd’s crook, which was used for suspending it from wall or chair back. The last lamp on this Plate 1 is a more clumsily wrought iron “ Betty ” : its shape is not graceful and the curved handle is too short and light. The wooden turned stand of maple is the original and was found in either North or South Caro- lina. | A very curious and rare pair of tin lamps is shown in Plate 9 from Mr. C. L. Cooney’s collection. Although there is noth- ing graceful or beautiful about them — in fact they resemble a steam boiler in miniature — they illustrate a rare type of early New England guest-room lamp. Alike, except for the flat tin plate suspended over one end of one of the lamps, they were used in the guest chamber, and, with the three wicks burning at the same time, must have given a fairly adequate amount of light. When the host wished to pay especial atten- tion to the guest, he placed some spices or sweet smelling herbs ‘on the shallow tin saucer directly over the flame from one of the lamps, so that the smoke from this incense might perfume the room and no doubt hide partly at least the smoke and odor from the burning whale oil. Plate 25 is a photograph of a fascinating iron grease lamp in the collection of Doctor Robert E. Sievers of Bordentown, New Jersey. It has an open top with two well-marked lips, from which the wicks protruded. The lamp proper sits on a pedestal rising from a shallow saucer and is further supported by a round straight brace, from the bottom of the grease lamp to the edge of the base, which was used as a handle in carry- 28 COLONES LIGHTING ing. Acrudely made design of considerable ingenuity, it prob- ably was the work of some early iron-moulder who evolved the idea from his own brain and cast a few for local distribu- tion. Such odd lamps as these add unusual variety to a collection and are consequently highly prized whenever found. Another equally curious and very rare lamp, which is shown in Plate 23, really belongs to this group though its material is common earthenware or pottery. This lamp, the prized pos- session of a Pennsylvania collector, Mr. Francis D. Brinton of West Chester, was undoubtedly made in one of the Dutch pot- teries in that state. It is described as of a particularly rich and lustrous dark brown glaze, with a very luminous surface, as the photograph clearly shows. Its shape is particularly inter- esting. The top or lamp proper with its snugly fitting cover and neat knob follows closely the lines of a teapot, which, it is evident, suggested the design to its potter. The bottom is elongated quite a bit and terminates in a broad saucer with a sharply upturned edge. The handle is of wholesome size. It is of course a grease lamp, the wick coming out of the spout and the lamp being filled from the top like a teapot. It is in per- fect condition except that the tip of the nose where the wick burned is much charred from the flame, the pottery composi- tion being unable to withstand the constant burning as metal does. The splendid condition of the glaze speaks well for its eood workmanship. The lamp now has a place. of honor in a fine old house in Pennsylvania and is highly prized by its owner. Another exceedingly interesting lamp is shown in Plate 18 from the collection of Mr. C. L. Cooney. I have never seen or heard of one like it, nor had Mr. Cooney in his long years as a collector and dealer seen another. It is a double “ Betty ” lamp, most beautifully hand wrought. Unfortunately the photograph does not give one a good idea of its beauty of work- Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus Collection of Horace R. Grant, Hartford PU Sala OS AO rags te} wee pare2o PLATE zo See page 52 ’ (3 a9 VERY RARE DOUBLE IRON ~ BETTY BRASS CAMPHENE LAMP, TINY“WHALE- OIL LAMP AND EXTINGUISHER IN TIN Photograph by Miss Mary H. Northend, Salem Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus Ret ti 20 See page 29 Pigg oeeek See page 52 TIN “BETTY” LAMP WITH TIN BRASS HANGING THREE-BURNER SHIP STAND OR FACTORY LAMP * a Collection of B. N. Gates, Worcester Pian bin ae See page ST SHOWING THE USE OF THE SPUR AT THE TOP OF THE OLD IRON CANDLESTICKS TO HANG ON THE LADDER- BACK CHAIRS rr ee EARLY COLONIAL LAMPS 29 manship. It is hung from an iron staple like an ordinary “ Betty ”, but the lamp itself consists of two iron bodies joined at the back, each having its separate oil receptacle, wick nozzle, and sliding cover. The effect of the whole is very artistic and graceful. A fine specimen of the early tin “ Betty ” on its tin stand is shown in Plate 20. This tin “ Ipswich Betty ” is in excellent condition except that the original staple seems to have been lost and replaced at some later date with a poor substitute made of twisted wire. The most striking thing in this photograph is the very interesting tin “tidy-top” or stand on which the lamp proper rests. The deep, wide, flat base was kept filled with sand. The hollow tin upright is joined to the curved support for the tin top on one side and the tin handle for car- rying on the other. Although neither iron nor tin but pewter, the lamp shown in Plate 66 and very similar to one or two in Doctor Norton’s collection really belongs in this chapter, for it is a very early variant of the “ Betty.” The shallow, cup-like font holds the oil in which floats the loosely woven wick of twisted cotton. The drip pan is half way down the long standard and the base is large and heavy enough to prevent its being easily tipped. Note the graceful handle and the pick hanging from the knob on the top. This lamp undoubtedly is of English or German make; for probably few if any lamps of this type were made here, although the design was in use about the time of the departure of the Pilgrims and for some years after. The few specimens were undoubtedly brought over by the earlier set- tlers, but they are almost impossible to find at the present time in American collections. I have recently been forwarded some prints from Mr. Henry Ford, of Dearborn, Michigan, who has a collection of lighting devices particularly rich in odd, very early pieces. Plate 15 shows a group of three in iron of the earliest grease- 30 COLONIAL LIGHTING lamp type. On the left is the prototype of the “ Betty ”—a shallow saucer slightly elongated on one side with a very crude hanging handle opposite — an attempt at a lamp much more crude than the very ancient ones in Plate 2. The one at the right is even more primitive, a shallow, round iron plate with the edges bent over to form four shallow gutters, in any one or all of which wicks may be placed, the ends floating in the oil or grease in the center. The middle one is an early “ Phoebe ” lamp with its double lamp base. (An interesting group of very primitive iron light- ing devices which were soon superseded by much more useful and dependable types but which possess a great interest to the collector.) As these were at their best makeshift devices, very few are found to-day. I am told that one is more apt to find them in the South where the scattered colored population con- tinued to use them for many years. Plate 10 and Plate 11 are from the same collection and show a varied group of early lamps, all of which are interesting and well worthy of close study by the collector. Made in a variety of material, they exhibit a greater variation in design. In Plate 11 the first in tin on the left is perhaps the more familiar, with its saucer base and upright with the flat-sided oil font on top. The next is an unusual lamp in iron, its flat-sided, open- top oil font swinging from side pivots and mounted on a slen- der, graceful iron stand rising from a broad flat base. The third lamp in pewter is of a design more or less familiar to collectors of early lamps, but in this there seems to be a tube for an upright wick in the center of the open oil font instead of the usual arrangement of a wick lying in an open trough at the side. The last lamp, also of pewter, is perhaps the most interest- ing of all. Of a very unusual shape, the wick tube coming from the side of the globular font holding the oil and the glass lens to magnify the flame, evidently indicating that it is a reading Poel Y COLONIAL LAMPS 31 lamp, make a unique combination which I have never seen before. | The second group (Plate 10) is equally interesting though quite different from the first plate. Four lamps in four dif- ferent materials, all of different designs, but all constructed upon the same simple principle. The taller at the left is made of copper, a rather rare metal in lamps of so early a date, and has the overflow trough quite separated from the main wick spout. The general design of the second is somewhat similar but carried out in tin. The wick tube at the side is long and has the drip gutter fitting very snugly. The third, of brass, is a kind of glorified “ Betty ” with its handle and hanging staple. The long curved wick spout with its enlarged lip at the end is a curious addition making it altogether an interesting piece. The fourth, however, is the gem of the lot, a fine specimen of that very rare article, an earthenware grease lamp. Of the very early open type, with the lip on the side for the twisted rag wick and its two-handled standard on the flat base, moulded of the dark brown pottery which the early Dutch settlers of Pennsylvania made so well, it is, in its perfect condition, a piece which any collector would be proud to own. CHAPTER III LATER TIN, PEWTER, AND BRASS LAMPS I sarp in a previous chapter that iron lamps, being clumsy and heavy, were made for only a short time and were soon supplanted by lamps of tin and pewter. At first the tin lamps closely followed the lines of the iron ones. Gradually the colonies of settlers increased, more houses were built, and larger tracts of land brought under cultivation. The immedi- ate needs of the colonists for food and shelter having been provided for, attention was given to the various conveniences of the home and then the real development of the lamp began. In Plates 29 and 51 are shown two tin lamps from the author’s collection with round wick spouts coming out of the sides. In Plate 17, from Doctor Norton’s collection, the cen- tral lamp in the top row has a double wick and a handle for hanging. This type is sometimes known as a factory or shop lamp and is interesting because the drip pans are placed under- neath the nozzles. On the same plate, Figures 422 and 423 show two tin lamps of the early “ Betty ” type, one of them with an upright standard upon which the lamp proper may slide, adjusting the light to the correct height for the reader’s eyes. Number 423 was brought from England in 1630 by an ancestor of Doctor Norton’s. The other, Number 422, is a fine “ Ipswich Betty.” Similar lamps were made by a tinsmith in Newburyport about 1680. This specimen has the wick pick attached to it and stands on what was known as a tidy-top, a plate with fluted and up- turned edges into which the lamp proper fitted. All stand on a tall base of tin which was commonly weighted with sand. Collection of Francis D. Brinton, West Chester, Pa. pete [i 29 See page 28 Fe G RARE PENNSYLVANIA POTTERY GREASE LAMP ollection of Doctor Robert E. Sievers, Bordentown, N.J. Peet 25 See page 27 Pani y IRON OPEN GREASE LAMP Collection of Francis D, Brinton, West Chester, Pa. JEBEL WALL SCONCE FOR SINGLE CANDLE WITH FIVE TIN «REFLECTORS IN WOODEN FRAME Photograbh by Miss M. H. Norihend, Salem PLATTE See page 42 PEWTER BULL S-EYE READING LAMP WITH DOUBLE LENS. FRONT AND SIDE VIEW Hartford Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, PLATE 27 See pages 30, 38, 39 40, fl GROUP OF PEWTER LAMPS eee WV TER, AND BRASS LAMPS § 33 There are several other interesting lamps on this page, most of which are quite unusual and hard to find. In fact, good types of all old tin lamps are now rarely found and are soon snapped up by eager collectors. Number 416 on this plate is an old, tin, whaler’s lamp, which must have acquired its sea legs many years ago, since it undoubtedly went on many a long voyage, and must have seen some interesting sights and could probably tell some thrilling tales of the sea. It swings on pivots at the sides and has a tin handle at the base. The shape of the font is interesting. This lamp was taken from the old ship South America, which the Government bought in 1861 and sunk at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, to prevent the use of the port by the Confederate blockade- runners. _ Number 402 is called a petticoat-lamp. Another lamp of the same type owned by the author is illustrated in Plate 29. A different view of the same lamp in the lower right-hand cor- ner of Plate 30 gives one a glimpse of the underside of the lamp, showing the peg socket underneath the petticoat. It is said that by this arrangement the lamp was secured on a side upright of the high ladder or bannister-back chair then in use, thus placing the light in such a position as to be most advanta- geous to the reader sitting in the chair. Number 56 on Plate 17 was one of Doctor Norton’s prized possessions; for it was representative of an interesting and un- usual type. But association with its celebrated owner has made it more valuable. It was of a late model, made probably about the middle of the nineteenth century, and shows quite clearly that the fertile brains of many a lamp maker had studied and worked to evolve from the primitive type lamps of greater power and usefulness. One of the intensely interesting things about collecting lamps is the astonishing number of variations and improvements which have appeared from time to time; in fact, it is fairly difficult to get two lamps either in 34 COLONIAL LIGHTING tin, pewter, or glass which match exactly. Number 56 has two broad, flat wicks in a drum-shaped font, which was filled with lard oil, a fuel oil used somewhat extensively in New England about 1850. This drum font, pivoted for ease in fill- ing and cleaning, had a large adjustable tin reflector behind it. Supported on a substantial square base, this lamp must have fur- nished quite a respectable light. It was one of a pair which was used by Noah Webster while compiling his famous dictionary and lighted his arduous and painstaking work through many a midnight hour. It was secured from his old home in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1852. . Number 87 on this same plate of Doctor Norton’s is another” odd and interesting specimen, again showing the often very in- genious changes which different makers employed in order to improve their wares. This is also a lamp for lard oil, and has a curious shaped, hinged oil font on an upright short base. It was found in the mansion of General Knox at Thomaston, Maine. General Knox was one of the outstanding men of Washington’s time. Born in Boston and being of a patriotic nature he became interested in military affairs at the outset of the Colonies’ struggle to shake off the yoke of England, and joined the militia. He became an officer of artillery, attracted the attention of General Washington by his competent work during the siege of Boston, and took part in many of the Rev- olutionary battles. Possessing Washington’s friendship, he rose in the army to a position of importance and responsibility. He was a member of the court-martial which tried Major André; later was appointed the commander of West Point, and, under Washington’s command, superintended the disbanding and dispersion of the Continental armies at the close of the war. When Washington was elected the first President of the Republic, General Knox became his Secretary of War, which position he held for six years. He finally retired from public life and settled in Maine, where he did in 1806. aoe ew TER, AND BRASS LAMPS 35 Number 89 on this Plate 17 of Doctor Norton’s lamps is al- most exactly like one in the writer’s possession as illustrated in Plate 29. The lamp itself is quite shallow with a single wick; but over it, ingeniously hinged to the loop handle, is a top or chimney with a small mica or isinglass window in the front. The chimney protects from drafts the tiny flame that filters through the mica window. The writer has seen a lamp that differs from this in that it has three oval isinglass windows in- stead of the one square one and an arrangement for locking the chimney. In Plate 30 may be seen one of these lamps with the chimney turned back. Collecting these early tin lamps is good sport, for they are not as common as their cheapness might seem to indicate. Varied in ingenious and interesting ways by craftsmen who often changed the pattern according to personal whim or fancy; cheapened by the neglect of collectors who have passed them by for wares more showy; tucked away in corners of little coun- try antique shops—these lamps are game worth hunting. The successful hunter may walk out of the shop after bagging such a lamp with a very pleasant thrill of pride, particularly if the price is low. During those first bitter years, when so many succumbed to privations and disease in the Plymouth colony that, in order to hide from the Indians how decimated the little band had be- come, they buried their dead secretly and planted corn over the graves, all the energy of the colonies was given to provid- ing the barest necessities. As the settlements became larger and more successful in fighting the climate and the Indians, more attention was paid to refinements such as were enjoyed in the mother country. The household utensils at first were of the crudest and simplest. One or two iron pots swinging on a crane in the big open fireplace, and a few wooden plates or trenchers upon which the family meal was served, comprised the simple equipment of the ordinary home. The more well- 36 COLONIAL LIGHT is to-do had in addition a few pewter plates or platters which they had brought with them from England. As supplies ar- rived and the colonists found themselves in better condition financially, pewter gradually came to take the place of the rude home-made wooden dishes. It was not until many years later that the manufacture of earthenware and porcelain dishes com- menced in England, so that pewter was the general table ware. Pewter is an alloy of lead, tin, copper, and sometimes antimony and zinc; its main body being lead — the more lead the poorer the pewter, the more tin the better and brighter. It is a soft metal, easily scratched, bent and broken, so that a dish or plat- ter often became badly worn or marred, and was sent to the pewterer’s to be recast. It was quite natural, therefore, that since this metal was convenient and well adapted for the pur- pose, the manufacture of lamps of pewter should commence and continue for many years. At first the pewter lamps closely followed the lines of the tin ones, with the oil font below and the wick at the top coming through a small circular spout; al- though now and then one may be found made like the “ Bet- tys.” By this time the open spout such as that of the “ Betty ” had been generally abandoned and the wicks were now encased in snugly fitting tubes. Often these tubes and the top which screwed into the lamp itself were made of brass, better fitted to stand the wear of being unscrewed every time the lamp was filled; for almost all the early pewter lamps were filled from the same opening in the top into which the wick went. These pewter lamps, though more easily found than the very early tin ones, offer by their infinite variety of size, shape, and workmanship, a very fascinating field to the collector, as witnessed by several plates in this book. Plates 27 and 33 show more than a dozen from Doctor Norton’s collection, no two of which are alike; for they represent probably more than a century and a half. The writer’s pewter lamps in Plate 35, though somewhat similar in.shape, show quite a variation, es- PS SES sasvd aas Y SNOISAd TIVONSONDA NI SdWVT UDS1IYIL I ‘ §€ ALY Id paog KAuazyT fo uo0ij291j0D TS SSE SEE SZE Se te br sasvd aay SdWVI NLL 40 dnNOud Ose Ee itad. 4oyin py ay} fO u01]99]1]0) TIN, PEWTER, AND BRASS LAMPS 37 pecially in size — the smallest one in the center of the top row being only an inch and a quarter in height, while the interest- ing three-wick one beside it is six and a half inches high. Quite a few of these pewter lamps as well as some of the tin ones have two, and occasionally three, wicks. This change from the single wick is said to have been the invention of Benjamin Franklin, who became interested in lighting at a very early age. In the Boston shop of his father, Josiah Franklin, a tallow chandler, Ben, at the age of ten, commenced his not- able career by cutting wicks. As he grew older, he noticed that the wicks of the lamps in his and his neighbors’ homes soon became encrusted with soot or carbon from the faulty or im- perfect combustion and constantly needed “ picking up” in order to give even a dim light. The thought came to him that two wicks, side by side, would create a stronger current of air and more oxygen would come in contact with the wick, thus insuring freer burning and more and stronger light. He at once experimented and found that this was a fact. Thereafter most of the lamps were made with two wicks instead of the single wick, and a few were made with three, but singularly enough three were found not to work so well, the twin wicks giving the best results. Just as there was a great variation in the composition of the pewter from which the lamps were fashioned, equally varied were the lamps. In Plate 35 from the writer’s collection the large center lamp at the bottom and the smaller one next on the right both take a very high polish, quite like silver, and are probably almost pure tin; but most of the pewter lamps were like the platters, mostly lead and not taking a high pol- ish. The pewterers’ guild was very large and influential in Eng- land. Strict watch was kept over its members and many rules were laid down as to standards of workmanship, material, etc. Each master pewterer was required to register his private mark, 38 COLONIAL LIGHTING or “touch ” as it was called, and this “ touch ” was stamped on each piece with other marks indicating the quality of the metal, place of manufacture, etc. An X on the bottom of a plate in- dicated that it was of the first quality called “hard mettle ware.” Any unscrupulous maker endeavoring fraudulently to stamp his wares as of better quality than they really were, was severely dealt with. That it is rare to find a lamp with any pewterer’s mark on it may indicate that many of the pieces were recast from discarded plates, platters, etc. It is much more interesting in collecting to get, if possible, the history of a piece. Doctor Norton, with his wide acquaint- ance, in the course of his extensive travels all over the United States in pursuit of his favorite hobby, was enabled to pick up many lamps of more than ordinary interest. Illustrations of some of them will be found in Plate 27. Number 385 in the top row is a small pewter lamp with a camphene burner. Cam- phene, a burning fluid, was a product of refined turpentine which came into quite general use about 1845 to 1850. Unlike whale or lard oil, it was highly explosive. To prevent there- fore any danger of the flame’s getting down into the oil font, the wick tubes were made longer, as in this lamp and Number 413 in the same plate. The interesting thing about lamp Number 385 is that it was formerly the property of Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth President of the United States. President Pierce, though one of the lesser known presidents, was a man of strong character and considerable personal charm. At his birthplace, the little town of Hillsboro in New Hamp- shire, his former home, now occupied, I am told, by one of his nephews, contains many interesting objects connected with his public life. His father was a prominent man: Governor of the State, and one of the Continentals who fought the British in the famous battle of Bunker Hill. His son, who was also in- terested in military affairs, when the war with Mexico broke TIN, PEWTER, AND BRASS LAMPS 39 out, took an active part as colonel of a regiment. Since Hills- boro was on the direct stage line between Boston and Concord, his father entertained many notables at their home and young Franklin had the opportunity of meeting many of the most prominent of the Colonies’ patriots. He entered Bowdoin College at the age of 16 and was gradu- ated with honors. He proceeded to imitate his father’s career as a politician. Being a great favorite all through that section of the State, he was elected to Congress when only twenty-nine years of age and four years later entered the Senate, as the youngest member. Among his most intimate friends was Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose friendship he kept unbroken dur- ing his lifetime. He was present when Hawthorne died. The two men outwardly had little in common: Pierce — genial, making friends easily, enjoying the attentions which a public life at that time commanded; Hawthorne — retiring, shunning the public eye, sad, almost morbid at times; yet the strong friendship was only broken by death. In the old homestead at Hillsboro are preserved among many other mementos a number of letters from Hawthorne. It is not at all improbable that some of these letters of Hawthorne’s may have been perused by the light of this little oil lamp. Other letters in this collec- tion are from another close friend of President Pierce, Jefferson Davis, afterward President of the Southern Confederacy, whom President Pierce appointed Secretary of War and who served during his administration. The friendship was formed while Franklin Pierce was a young member of the Senate. This little lamp then has seen some of the most stirring history of our country in the making, and is one of those small but significant links which bind the historic past to the turbulent and perplexing present. Number 409 on Plate 27 of Doctor Norton’s is an interest- ing deviation from the ordinary burner. If one observes closely he will note three projections on the top. The two 40 COLONIAL LIGHTING outer tubes are for the wicks, whale oil being burned in this lamp, but the longer center tube is for the purpose of carrying the heated air from the burners to the oil in the font beneath, thus keeping it in a liquid state during the winter. The mind which devised this ingenious arrangement thought enough of it to have it patented but deponent saith not whether the device actually worked. Number 414, the pewter lamp with the peculiar egg-shaped font, is another with historical associations. . This lamp was the property of John C. Calhoun of South Carolina and was used by him during his residence in Washington from 1845 to 1850 while he was Senator. Many of his famous speeches in the Senate chamber were probably written by the light from the broad wick of this lamp. Number 392 is one of the few lamps marked with the pew- terer’s name. This one was made and stamped by Boardman Brothers who had a factory in Hartford, Connecticut. It is a double-wick, whale-oil lamp. Number 420, with the single whale-oil burner, a modest little affair, was the property of Doctor Josiah Bartlett of Amesbury, one of the less known signers of the Declaration of Independence. Doctor Josiah Bartlett, born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, was elected a member of the Continental Con- gress and helped form the new Constitution. Afterward he became President of the New Hampshire colony and in 1793 its first Governor when it was admitted as a separate State. He died in 1795. Number 170 is a marked English pewter lamp, made some- where about 1700. Its form is interesting: the lamp itself on the top of a standard some eight inches in height is similar to a “ Betty ”, a shape unusual in pewter; about half way down the standard is the drip pan and the handle for carrying con- nects the two; and the whole stands on a large circular base. The hall marks, the usual pewter marks, are found on the han- aALVid SNOJAdad “NI SdNVIT OML JO SMAUIA LNAXAAMIAG 0&1 ‘1S SSE SEE sasvd aay ANV dWVT YFIAWAL TIO-ATVHM LNALVd O06. at ed a 4oyiny ays fo u01}9a7]0) + ES asvd aag ES a8vd aay SdNVT GNVH NIL SdNVT GUNVH NIL GANNVdvl TIVINS nee RS el ot bref UDSLYILTY ‘p4so wy &aua H fo 02729710) GNV GaLNIivd Tae ee pd ct UDSLYILI ‘pséOy KiuazyT fO u01J99]1]0) ye fewer WTlLER, AND BRASS LAMPS 41 dle. Though this is not a Colonial piece, its rare shape makes it attractive. Number 171 is very similar to 170, except that the drip pan is omitted. This lamp also has the very rare hall marks, and, from its similarity to Number 170, was probably made about the same time and possibly by the same pewterer. Number 401 is a pewter lard-oil lamp. An unusual feature of this lamp is that it has a wheel to regulate the broad flat wick. ‘This lamp dates from about 1840 and came from the house of General Robert E. Lee at Arlington, Virginia. The wide range of these lamps, geographically, is a most encourag- ing thing for collectors; because it shows that a persevering search in almost any part of the country is likely to yield rich returns; in fact, one of the pleasantest features of this antique hunt is that one’s reward is usually found in the most unex- pected places. The last lamp on this page, Number 341 down in the lower right-hand corner, a modest pewter lamp with a brass cam- phene burner, was used by Captain John Ericsson, the famous inventor of the more famous Monitor, in his office. I wonder if the shape of the lamp suggested to his fertile mind the idea which he afterward developed in his famous little boat, “a cheese box on a raft ” as it was called, which fought so valiantly for the Union. An interesting type of pewter lamp, Number 140 in Plate 33, is an improved reading lamp. This one happens to be of English manufacture, Doctor Norton says, and was made, he estimates, about 1760. It burns whale oil in its drum-shaped oil font, but the peculiar feature is the two bull’s-eyes of glass, one on each side of the flame, with a pewter shade over it, to catch and concentrate the feeble rays upon the reader’s page beside it. _ These bull’s-eye lamps were made here and are usually found with only one lens. Since they are not at all common, 42 COLONIAL LIGHTING a lamp of this kind, in good condition, is considered a find. These pewter bull’s-eye reading lamps were evidently one of the most popular improvements; for they seem to have been in quite general use and some ten or twenty years ago were found in almost every antique shop. Of late years they have almost entirely disappeared, so that if one wants to study them, he must look for them in the cabinets of private collectors. I was fortunate in securing photographs of two or three. Plate 26 gives both a side and front view of a double bull’s-eye pew- ter lamp very similar in shape and size to Doctor Norton’s but differing slightly in the turnings of the base. There is also shown in Plate 42 from Mr. Henry Ford’s collection a fine double-wick and double-lens pewter reading lamp. In the beautifully clear group of Mr. Gates’ pewter. lamps in Plate 37, the central one is a single bull’s-eye with a double whale-oil burner and is a particularly pretty and graceful de- sign. This lamp is probably the oldest of the lamps in this group. Number 172 in Plate 33, though very unpretentious in its general appearance, is closely connected with some of the most stirring events of the history of our infant republic. This lamp was secured by Doctor Norton in the homestead of Josiah Quincy of Braintree, now in the town of Quincy, Massachu- setts, and the family tradition is that it was made in the work- shop of the famous Paul Revere at Boston. The accuracy of this tradition is open to doubt as there appears to be no authentic record of Revere having worked in pewter. Pewter lamps however were in use at this time and it is quite possible that he, or one of his workmen, might have made this one as a gift. Doctor Norton evidently accepted the story as he dated this lamp prior to 1770. Paul Revere was a very versatile man. Not only was he a celebrated silver and gold smith, but he was an artist of more than mediocre ability, engraving many of his own drawings on fore LER, AND BRASS LAMPS 43 copper. Later in life he established the first plant in America for refining copper in which he rolled the plates for the frigate Constitution and other vessels building for the government; he also cast many church bells, manufactured gunpowder and cast cannon for the Continental army and kept a general store. He will doubtless be best known to posterity by his famous ride to warn the patriots, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, whom General Gage, England’s representative then living in Boston, had ordered arrested for high treason. Hearing that they were visiting friends in Lexington, General Gage decided that it would be a good opportunity to seize them there with- out starting the tumult which their arrest in Boston would doubtless precipitate. On the night of April 18th, 1775, he therefore quietly despatched some eight hundred of his British troops with great secrecy to proceed to Lexington and arrest the men and incidentally seize and destroy some military stores which he had learned the patriots had collected and secreted in Concord, a few miles beyond. But the patriots, in some man- ner, learned of the expedition. Longfellow in his famous poem tells the rest of the story, but historians say that Mr. Longfellow is not quite accurate in his account, for Revere’s two companions deserve fully as much credit as did Revere. In fact, Revere was captured by the British before he reached Concord. However this may be, Paul Revere was a staunch patriot and very ready to undertake any mission no matter how dangerous or arduous which might help the cause of the Col- onies for independence. I have in my possession an old Boston newspaper, the “ Columbian Centinel ” printed July 16, 1800, in which is a notice from the Board of Health of Boston re- garding the quarantining of vessels entering the harbor and signed “ P. Revere, President ”, showing that he took an active and prominent part in the town’s affairs for many years. Recently a friend of mine who is a collector of old bottles, particularly the tiny hand-blown vials which were used by 44 COLONIAL LIGHTING apothecaries and housekeepers years ago and which usually have a very lovely decided greenish tinge to the glass, was talk- ing with an old lady from whom she had received some of the slender delicate ones. This old lady said she recalled distinctly, as a young girl, helping her mother clean and fill the small whale-oil lamps, which were used in their home. She par- ticularly remembered one of these small glass bottles which hung at the end of a shelf, suspended by a string, and which was kept filled with turpentine. Near it on the shelf was a small piece of wire with a wisp of cotton on the end and after the lamps had been filled, cleaned and the wicks “ picked up ” and freed of the encrusted soot of the night’s burning, it was her duty, with the tiny wire, to carefully allow a drop of tur- pentine to fall on the tip of the cleaned and ready wick. “ Only one drop,” she said, “and great care must be used not to allow the turpentine to touch anything else.” This I pre- sume was to keep the wicks in condition to light readily when needed. I do not know if this was a universal custom — I had never heard anything of the kind before — but it was an interesting sidelight on the necessity for care to get even the little light which these lamps gave under the best of conditions. One of the pewter lamps shown on Plate 33 and numbered 173, Doctor Norton says, 1s one of the most interesting in his entire collection. Although not strictly speaking a Colonial lamp (its home having been in Germany) it is unique, and the fact that it was probably used about the time of the departure of the Pilgrims from Holland, gives it a place in these pages. Since one of these lamps is shown in an old Dutch print dated 1610, we may assume that they were in use then in Holland and may have been familiar to the Leyden Pilgrim Colony. This pewter lamp, like the “ Betty” in shape and design, stands about sixteen inches high on a base of pewter. Its es- pecially interesting feature, however, is the glass font on top uS ‘oS sasvd aay NOUL ANV SSVud SUILMAd ‘NLL NI SdNWT TVASANA AO dnoAd | Fe AEP Td : 4a1S3IA0 M ‘S210 * NT “gy fO u01420710D TIN, PEWTER, AND BRASS LAMPS 45 which holds the oil and upon whose sides in Roman numerals are marked the hours, the gradual lowering of the oil as it is burned up in the lamp marking the time. These “ time- lamps ” as they were called were not only not unknown in the Colonies but were even made here, to a very limited extent, upon the model shown in this Continental one. They are rarely or never found now. I have never seen one at a dealers, but have a friend, Mr. V. M. Hillyer of Baltimore, long a col- lector of lamps, who has one or more of American make. Numbers 177 and 190 on Plate 33 from Doctor Norton’s collection are both pewter lamps of American make and show very fine workmanship, dating somewhere between 1825 and 1850. The tall wick burners indicate that the lamps were fitted to burn camphene as is also Number 375 on the same plate. This last lamp is further protected from the dangers of cam- phene explosions by a wire gauze wick holder inside the long acorn-shaped font. _ Number 252 in Plate 33, the little hand lamp with inverted bell-shaped base and double whale-oil burner, is a good speci- men of what was sometimes called a “squat” lamp. It is identical in shape and size to the “ tavern ” lamp of pewter, block tin, or glass, specimens of which may be found in Plate 35 and in Plate 79 from the collections of Mr. Gates and the writer. | It is reported that these lamps received their name from the _ fact that they were commonly used in taverns. When the guest wished to retire for the night he was handed one of these little lamps to light his way; and if, as was frequently the case, he had been drinking somewhat heavily, no harm would result if he dropped the lamp while navigating a difficult course up to his bedroom; or if again he forgot to blow out the light, its small supply of oil would soon do that for him. But perhaps these little lamps were more generally known as “ spark ” or “‘ sparking ” lamps. When the young woman of the house- 46 COLONIAL LIGHT hae hold heard the footsteps of her favored swain approaching on his courting or “ sparking ” night, she would light one of these) little lamps. The flame from it was not embarrassingly bril- liant and when it flickered and went out for lack of oil, that — was a gentle but well understood hint that it was time for the young man to find his hat, say good-night on the door stoop and start for home! | Number 380 in the bottom row of Plate 33 of Doctor Nor- ton’s is called a marine lamp. The font is swung on pivots so that no matter what the rolling of the vessel the lamp remains upright. This lamp has a ring in the side of the saucer-like base by which it may be hung from a convenient hook, the lamp itself remaining upright while the pewter base acted as a kind of reflector. This specimen was taken from the old U.S. S. Vermont. Very similar swinging pewter lamps, sometimes known as chamber lamps, may be seen in Plate 37 of Mr. Gates’ collec- tion. The two front lamps on the right of this plate are splen- did examples of workmanship. The long wick stems indicate that they were probably made for camphene burning. They have the same little ring on the edge of the saucer for hang- ing on the wall and a round handle on the opposite edge. The shapes of these two lamps are good and they have the original extinguishers attached by tiny chains. This whole group is a particularly good one as all the lamps are in perfect condition, of extra good workmanship, and without the dents and bruises which mar so many specimens, the soft pewter lending itself so easily to marrings from rough handling. The other two cam- phene lamps in the front row have very similar handles, and the second one perhaps has a more unusual shape than the in- verted bell at the extreme right. This lamp is remarkable also for the fact that it isa marked piece, stamped with the maker’s name, Morey and Ober, Boston. It is one of the few marked pewter lamps of American manufacture. Peer VIL RR, AND BRASS LAMPS 47 The first tall lamp in the back row of Plate 37 with the broad flat wick is intended for the heavier lard oil and shows a fine piece of turning. The tall one on the right is unusual in its shape, its simplicity of line giving it a very dignified ap- pearance. This lamp is also stamped with the maker’s name, T. M. Brickley, Troy, N. Y. Since it is unusual to find an early American pewter lamp or candlestick with the maker’s name on it, these two marked pieces in this small collection are a good indication of the high degree of excellence of this well selected group. It isa collection of pewter of which any owner may be justly proud and exemplifies the advice which so many young collectors disregard: “ Work for quality rather than quantity, for a few well-chosen, perfect specimens are much more worth while than five times that number of battered, incomplete and com- monplace lamps.” It is quite as much an art to know what to discard as what to gather together, and every discard helps some one else’s collection just that much. In the margin is a drawing of a small, simple, tin whale-oil lamp which is authentically reported to have been owned and used by Abraham Lincoln in his law office during his early days. In 1866 Lincoln’s log cabin was exhibited in New York City. Doctor Norton was one of the lecturers who daily gave ad- dresses there on the great Emancipator. At the conclusion of the exhibition in payment for his services he was allowed to take several of the relics which had been on view there, and one of them was this tin lamp. Brass lamps, which came later than the tin and pewter ones, seem not to have been made in such abundance as brass candle- sticks, for they are comparatively hard to find. It may have been because glass lamps were then coming into general use and were being sold much cheaper that the demand for brass 48 COLONIAL LIGHTING lamps was negligible. Doctor Norton in Plate 36 has a few very good ones from his own collection, which perhaps typify fairly well the usual designs for them. Number 338 is a tall, double-wick, whale-oil lamp, the base of which suggests strongly a candlestick design, the oil font that of a tin or pewter lamp. This lamp Doctor Norton dates about 1820. Number 326 is a pretty hand lamp, which was secured in Deerfield, New Hampshire, from the birthplace of General Benjamin F. Butler, that brilliant but eccentric lawyer, military man and politician, whose stormy career made him some close friends but many bitter enemies. Beginning his business life as a lawyer, he gained much prominence particularly as a criminal lawyer, and was always an active politician. He ran for Governor of Massachusetts just before the commencement of the Civil War, but was defeated. Having risen to the rank of Brigadier-General of Militia, he was appointed commander of the 8th Massachusetts Regiment with which he saw considerable service. After the surrender of New Orleans to Admiral Farragut’s forces, he was appointed military governor of the city. At the close of the war he re- entered Congress, was again defeated for Governor, but not dis- couraged, ran again in 1882 and was elected. He was a can- didate for the Presidency in 1884 on a Greenback ticket, but was overwhelmingly defeated. General Butler was a striking figure about town. Short and quite stout with a large head, his was a personality to be noticed in any assembly, particularly as a marked droop to his eyelids gave his face a peculiar appearance. He was always very par- ticular about his clothes and was rarely seen on the street with- out a fresh flower in his buttonhole. An able lawyer, he conducted many celebrated criminal cases. I recall when I was a boy going to the courthouse in Salem where he was the lawyer in a suit, as I remember it, to break the will of an aged farmer who had died leaving considerable St ‘LE ‘GE sadod aag SdNWI YALMAd AO dAOAO See Ta. AoYyjn Vp ay? fO uot}I07/0) ‘S SMOILSHIGNVO AGNV SdWNVI SSVUd Coe LAV Td p4ofpyav Hy ‘UojJ400N *O°V “2 40790 fo uozj2a110) TIN, PEWTER, AND BRASS LAMPS 49 property, but in his will cutting off a number of relatives. They took the matter to court and tried to have the will set aside on the ground that the old farmer was insane when he made it. As General Butler appeared for the defense, I can recall him now, his short rotund figure fastidiously dressed, the cus- tomary flower in his coat, and —as was his usual custom in court — an unlighted cigar in his mouth, which he chewed from time to time. When I was there, he had a witness, an old neighbor, on the stand who was testifying that he had seen the old farmer sit reading the Salem Observer, a newspaper which had been published in Salem for many years, but which had always strongly opposed General Butler in all his political aspirations. When Butler was through with his witness (who was testify- ing to the sanity of the deceased) he remarked apropos of his being seen reading this paper: “ That’s the first evidence of in- sanity which has been introduced in this case,” a remark which brought much laughter from the audience. Numbers 296 and 310 in this Plate 36 are good examples of hand or chamber lamps as they were variously called, 310 being from the house of Doctor Jacob Quincy of the famous Quincy family, great-grandfather of Doctor Norton. Num- ber 274 is a large brass binnacle lamp — with double whale-oil burner, reflector, and extra-sized font — which was used on the U. S. S. Georgia, Government transport and hospital ship dur- ing the Civil War. Many of Doctor Norton’s lamps were directly associated with this war, doubtless because Doctor Norton’s position as an enlisted man in the 1st Maine Cavalry and later on the staff of the Surgeon-General brought him in direct contact with many of the leading men in this great conflict and gave him op- portunities to acquire many lamps with inceresting histories. The broad flat wick of Number 316 indicates that it was in- 50 COLONIAL LIGH Ti tended for lard oil. Number 275 with its wine-glass shaped oil font and slender stemmed base was secured at the homestead of General Neal Dow, that famous and fiery advocate of tem- perance from Maine, so well known to my readers of the older generations. The lard-oil lamps which may be distinguished by their broad flat wicks are not nearly so common as the whale-oil ones. | A very good specimen of a japanned tin hand lamp may be seen in Plate 48 from the Worcester Historical Society’s col- lection and another unusually good lamp of this kind from the collection of Mrs. A. A. Dana of West Orange, New Jersey, 1s shown in Plate 109. It is, I think, complete; the tin reflector at the back, which is usually missing from lamps of this type, 1S an uncommonly fine shaped one at that. The square tin base is out of the ordinary. One can see quite clearly in this ex- cellent print the curved brass spring close to the middle of the oil font in front. It held the drum-shaped font when pulled down to allow the wicks to lie in the oil even when it had been nearly all consumed. Another lamp of this same type in Mr. Gates’ collection 1S the one on the extreme right of the back row in Plate 34, which gives an excellent side view showing the brass spring holding the oil font with the wicks well down the side as they would be when the oil was low. This plate also shows the side supports which hold the drum and the filling place; but the tin reflector is missing. These two lamps, though quite similar to one from Doctor Norton’s collection spoken of earlier in this chapter, are good specimens of a type which is rarely met with now; for since lard oil was used as an illuminant to a limited extent as compared with whale oil and camphene, fewer lamps were made for its use, and consequently fewer are found to-day. The collection of Mr. Gates in Plate 34 is an unusual one in fee eV TER); AND BRASS. LAMPS 51 that the specimens are all in such good condition. The lamp in the lower right-hand corner is similar to one in the writer’s col- lection, which is spoken of before and shown both open and closed. (See Plates 29 and 30.) The first lamp on the back row of Plate 34 at the left is a particularly fine specimen of the “ petticoat ” lamp; an excep- tionally large tin one in perfect condition, showing a double wick and separate filling hole. The next two in the back row are fine brass lamps, much later of course, but beautifully turned. One may hunt for months before finding two brass lamps approaching these in design and condition. The next one with its funnel-shaped base and four long brass wick spouts is a mystery. Neither its owner nor the writer has ever seen another like it and its purpose is obscure. Just why this shape or what its use is unknown. I hope that this note will reach the eye of some collector who has a similar piece and who knows something of its purpose and history. In the front row, the first two are beautiful little single- burner pewter lamps. I think they might properly be classed with the tavern or “ spark ” lamps, though they have no ring handles, but their single wicks and small size indicate their classification there. The three remaining lamps in this plate, Number 34, all alike except that two are painted white and one japanned, are specimens of the very rare tin “ peg ” lamps. Peg lamps, which were usually of glass (so called because the bottom part was shaped to fit into the top of a candlestick), will be taken up in a later chapter. The interesting thing about these lamps is that they are authentically reported to have been used in the Mas- sachusetts State House on Beacon Hill, Boston, about the time of the War of 1812. They have, as you see, very small oil fonts and double whale-oil burners, so that it must have taken a great many of them to light even dimly one of those great rooms. 52 COLONIAL LIGHTING Hanging over the heavy iron-bound door of the Iron Mas- ter’s house in Saugus is a quaint brass lamp (Plate 21). Orig- inally I think its home was on a vessel, but later it was used in a store or shop, perhaps hung as now over a door. It has three long, straight, wick spouts coming out of its sides, each fitted with an extra spout beneath to catch the drippings and carry them back into the lamp. The wicks would be of large size and would undoubtedly give a heavy flame with consider- able smoke. ‘This is the only brass lamp I have seen of this description and the only three-wicked one — most of the others being one or two-wicked and of tin. Mr. Horace R. Grant, a collector in Hartford, Connecticut, has sent a photograph of two quaint lamps (see Plate 19). The one on the left is as beautiful an example as I have seen of a double-wick, camphene-burning, brass lamp; the turnings and proportions of the base, standard and top being particularly good. Beside it is a miniature, japanned tin, whale-oil lamp, hardly taller than the tin candle extinguisher at its right. A particularly good specimen of a real “ tavern ” or “ spark- ing ” lamp is the one which Mr. Cooney allowed me to photo- graph in Plate 53. It is of pewter, in perfect condition, about three inches high, with a brass, single-wick oil-cap, and an in- teresting curved flat handle of pewter. It is easy to imagine many a traveller with this little lamp in his hand mounting the steep stairs of some wayside inn, after a hearty supper and a round or two of mulled wine or ale or some real good old flip in front of the huge chimney with its cheery roaring fire of huge hickory or oak logs; for this was exactly the sort of lamp which the olden taverns furnished to their guests. A striking combination of a tin stand with a small glass lamp (very possibly a peg lamp) is to be seen in Plate 44. The shade, painted like the base with its ring handle, is neatly at- tached and the single-burner, camphene lamp is evidently in- tended for a student or reading lamp, one of those odd varia- ee ee ee ae ee a a ee _— — Lt ‘ot ‘et saivd vag SdWVI UYILMAd JO NOILOGTION ANIA AMET AS Wek dajs2Id0 Ay ‘SAD “NN ‘g fo uo019azj0) Collection of the Author PLATE 38 See pages OT, 04 BULL S-EYE WATCHMAN S LANTERN, EARLY TIN CANDLE SCONCES AND CANDLE MOULD jar AIBN hls, FOLDING BRASS CANDLESTICKS See page 99 THE TWO CIRCULAR BASES SCREW TOGETHER WITH THE REMOVABLE CANDLE HOLDERS INSIDE j a 9 J mina e WER, AND BRASS LAMPS 53 tions from the accepted type which one is constantly find- ing. An attractive group of the japanned and painted or stencilled tin hand lamps may be seen in Plate 31 from the collection of Mr. Henry Ford of Michigan. The first is probably the old- est, a single-burner whale-oil lamp with the familiar acorn top having a separate filling place at the side. This one has the ring handle on the base. The next lamp, also for whale oil, has a very flat saucer with a loop handle. The last two, which are very similar, have the broad flat wick tubes for lard oil and loop handles. Plate 32 shows some smaller hand lamps also in tin, from the same collector. The second specimen is a good type of the “ petticoat ” lamp with its single wick for whale oil and its separate filling tube at the side directly over the handle. The next is a choice specimen of the double-wick, funnel-shaped hand lamp, while the last is a curious cup-shaped lamp with three long wick tubes projecting from the cover. To me the most interesting of the plates from the collection of Mr. Henry Ford is Number 28 which shows four very un- usual tin lamps. Mr. Ford seems to have been particularly fortunate in securing some very unique specimens in tin, and the group here shown is a most fascinating one. In fact, so unusual are all four that it is quite impossible to select one as of greater interest than the others. The design of the lamp on the left, with its sturdy squared base from which rises the stout column supporting the box-like oil font is most uncommon. The curved arms, which protect but do not seem to offer any support for the oil font, are also most unusual. The design of the next is perhaps even more striking. Here upon a deep and broad saucer base rises a short but substantial column which supports the oil font. This font, which strik- ingly resembles a round top, drop-leaf table in miniature, has 54 COLONIAL LIGHTING at one end the capped hole for filling, while opposite is a long curved arm terminating in an inverted bell, probably for tak- ing care of the smoke. Across the top is a broad flat wick in- dicating the use of lard oil as an illuminant. The third lamp of this extraordinary group is shaped like a round canteen with flat sides. At the bottom two V-shaped pieces of tin allow it to stand upright, while a twisted wire over the top is for convenience in hanging. A single wick tube projects from the top, forming a lamp of most original design. The last lamp is of a pattern more commonly found in pew- ter than in tin. The large font swings freely on a gracefully curved arm which rests in the center of the saucer-base. This base has a ring handle at one side for convenience in carrying, while on the opposite edge is a wire loop for hanging the lamp upon a wall, its freely swinging oil font enabling it to maintain an upright position. This has two long camphene wick tubes. Plate 42, also from Mr. Henry Ford’s collection, shows four good pewter lamps. The first looks as if it might have been altered at a later date to burn kerosene. The shape of the base is good and the old glass chimney is quite in harmony of design with the rest of the lamp. The high polish of the second lamp would indicate britannia metal or possibly brass, but its unique feature is the arm at the side of the oil font holding the double- wick oil burner. The remaining two are good specimens of the more common types of pewter lamps, in perfect condition, the long-capped wick tubes indicating the use of the dangerous camphene, while the last is a particularly good specimen of the double-lens read- ing lamp. Both the single and the double lens type are now in- creasingly difficult to find and one may consider himself for- tunate to acquire one of as good a design in such perfect condition. CHAPTER IV LANTERNS A BRancu of lamp collecting which offers a fascinating field for the collector is that of old lanterns. Since the variety here is very marked, it is impossible, in one short chapter, to begin to cover the field. Plate 46 shows some which Doctor Norton collected and which, perhaps, are typical of the many variations of size, shape, and design which are embraced under this one head. It is evident that lanterns were not used to any extent until many years after the first settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; in fact, it is rather difficult to assign a much earlier date than the first quarter of the eighteenth century, although ‘ undoubtedly here and there some may have been made and used before then. The “ two-story ” iron lantern in the second row, Number 37 of this plate, is an interesting historical one. It was cap- tured during that famous expedition, in 1745, against the strongly defended fortress of Louisburg, when a little army of less than four thousand New Englanders, most of them from Massachusetts, trained little or not at all and officered by men of no military experience,— in fact, their commander William Pepperell was a merchant,— set sail for the coast of Cape Breton, and, after a siege of six weeks, with the assistance of a small fleet of British vessels which blockaded Louisburg har- bor, captured it from the French. Some of these early lanterns used candles, others had small oil lamps. Most of them used glass for their windows, but occasionally one finds an old lantern with the window made 56 COLONIAL LIGHTING of thinly scraped horn, a substitute of doubtful value which shows, notwithstanding, the ingenuity of those early workmen when proper material was not to be had. Such a one is Number 361 in the second row. This tall dark lantern is made of cop- per with a handle and, behind the horn window, a socket for a candle. It was used on the U. S. S. Enterprise during the War of 1812. Another intensely interesting specimen of these very early horn lanterns is the large one shown in Plate 43. This lantern, the property of Mr. Horace R. Grant, a collector in Hartford, Connecticut, was of English make, is said to have been in the possession of the Lee family of Guilford, Connecticut, for over two hundred years, and therefore would date close to the beginning of the eighteenth century. It isa piece worth studying be- cause it has more than one horn window and because the several dormer-window shaped ventilators in the top are quaint. Lanterns, or lanthornes as they were called in the olden days in England, with windows of thinly scraped cow’s horn, are extremely rare here. I have never found one in any antique dealer’s, and I infer that since most of the speci- mens found in collections are of English manufacture, very few were made in the Colonies. Numbers 223 and 169 of Doctor Norton’s collection in Plate 46 are tin lanterns using candles for lights. The top of the oc- tagonal one is particularly interesting. This lantern was used in the first fire house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Num- ber 169 is unusual in that it is semi-circular in shape with a small door in the back; this is a shop lantern which, it is said, was used in a store house during the time of the American Revolution. oad ee 0&1 ‘96 ‘69 sasvd aay SHOIATA ONILHOIT TVASANNA JO dnouUDd OE MEAG aie K91I0G JDIVAOJSLFT ADJSIIAO A OY) UOT Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan Pe Lead FOUR LANTERNS OF UNUSUAL DESIGNS See page 69 Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan | Fads Ns 69 be eae Fe GROUP OF PEWTER LAMPS See pages 42, 54 LANTERNS 57 The drawing on this page is of a lantern, one of a pair, which was used on the first through railroad trains between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1844. Supplied by a single candle, the dim light on either side of the coach (for those early railroad cars were really stage coaches fastened together and running on light rails) must have made night travelling anything but a pleasure. Both 261 and 277 in Plate 46 are not unusual types of lan- terns, tin top and base and heavy glass sides, but are of interest from their associations. Doctor Norton in an in- teresting article on “ Lan- terns in Early America”, published in the Connecti- cut Magazine for June, 1904, gives us a story of how he found the old tin hand lantern for three can- dles, a drawing of which is shown on this page, in the house in Torrington, Con- necticut, where John Brown, the hero of Osawatomie and the great-hearted cham- pion of the black man, was born in 1800. The house was found in a very dilapidated condition, but I think has since been bought by an association which has restored it with the intention of making it a permanent memorial to him. In the old kitchen, in the big chimney, with its great fire- place, was a huge old oven, nearly filled with ashes and bits of broken stone, the accumulations of years. Wishing to secure some memento, Doctor Norton started searching in the old oven and after taking out great quantities of this debris, he discovered 58 COLONIAL LIGHTING the tin lantern pictured here, which had evidently lain there for many years and is probably contemporary with the boy- hood of this grand old man. It is 2 hand lantern, semi-circular in shape, with a front which was intended for a square of glass held in place by grooves. The handle at the back cannot be seen, but the three candlesticks and the rows of rudely made holes at the top and bottom for the admission of air and the escape of smoke can be plainly seen. | John Brown, who hated slavery and all its evils, devoted his days to, and in the end laid down his life for, the cause, going to his execution with such calm contentment and royal bearing as to impress his captors, apparently serene in the belief that he was but an instrument in God’s hands. Peace to his soul! While his body was scarcely in the ground hundreds of thousands responded to the call which was so ur- gent to his heart. The cause for which he gladly sacrificed everything finally prevailed and that stain upon our national life was wiped out forever. Number 261 of Doctor Norton’s in Plate 46, a seat tin lantern with straight glass sides, is of interest to all lovers of Charles Dickens, for it stood on a shelf in the little cabin of the steamboat which made daily trips between Springfield and Hartford on the Connecticut River and on which Dickens was a passenger in 1842 when he was preparing his “ American Notes.” The glass cylinder, very thick, requires no protecting wires. The lantern was secured to the wall by a strip of brass. Dickens? description of the little steamboat is very amusing and I should advise my readers to get down their Dickens and look it up. He says, “ It certainly was not called a small steamboat with- out reason. I omitted to ask the question, but I should think it must have been of about a half pony power. I am afraid to tell how many feet short this vessel was, or how many feet a 2 omg? aeeae . Se a ae LANTERNS 59 narrow; to apply the words length and width to such measure- ment would be a contradiction in terms. But I may state that we all kept in the middle of the deck lest the boat should un- expectedly tip over; and that the machinery, by some surprising process of condensation, worked between it and the keel; the whole forming a warm sandwich about three feet thick.” However, Dickens made the trip in perfect safety and this little lantern with its whale-oil burner no doubt helped to light his way. : | Number 277 from Doctor Norton’s collection in Plate 46 is a watchman’s lantern, or was used for this purpose by men guarding the U. S. Treasury building in Washington about 1860 or 1861. It is rather an odd shape for this purpose, but has a D-shaped handle which does not show in the plate. The metal top and bottom are of copper. There was a tradi- tion among the older employees of this department that a gross of these lanterns was imported from England in 1845 for the use of the government watchmen. With our brilliantly lighted city streets of to-day, it seems almost unbelievable that only about two hundred years ago, after the sun had gone down, large cities with miles of streets and thousands of homes inhabited by industrious and pros- perous citizens were left in total darkness, relieved only here and there by a feeble glimmer from some lantern or torch at the gate, or beside the door, of the house of a citizen, public spirited enough to be willing to help the faltering footsteps of his neighbors. In Boston it was somewhere about 1690 to 1700 that the town placed iron fire baskets on the corners of a few of its most frequented streets to be kept filled and burning by the night watchmen going their rounds. For some time before a larger iron basket on a tall pole had been erected on the top of one of Boston’s highest hills and used as a signal to the inhabitants of this and surrounding towns in any case of emergency like an 60 COLONIAL LIGHTING attack by hostile Indians or other foes, fires, etc.; hence the name of Beacon Hill. It was not until many years later in 1772 that a meeting of the citizens was held to discuss means for more adequately lighting the streets after nightfall. A committee was ap- pointed, of which John Hancock was a member, and after con- siderable discussion it was decided to send to England for several hundred lanterns suitable for street lighting purposes, as the record runs, “lamps suitable for properly lighting ye streets and lanes of ye town.” As far as I am aware, none of these earliest street lanterns is known to exist at the present time, but they were undoubtedly tin or iron lanterns with glass sides, probably fitted with small whale-oil lamps. These lanterns were not paid for from the town’s treasury, but a public subscription was taken to defray the expense. Unfortunately the ship which was bringing them over from England was wrecked off Cape Cod, for, in a letter from a Boston man at that time he says, “It is unlucky that Loring had ye lamps on board for our streets. I am sorry if they are lost as we shall be deprived of their benefit this winter in consequence of it.” However, some if not all the lanterns seem to have been salvaged; for in the diary of one Thomas Newell under date of January 8, 1774, is the record, “ Began to make tops (sides? ) of ye glass lamps for ye town.” Ai little later he must have completed his work for the record shows that on the evening of March 2nd, 1774, 2 number of the lanterns were hung and lighted for the first time and that a large concourse of the townspeople turned out to see the great improvement. So satisfactory were they evidently that a little later two citizens were appointed from each ward to decide upon fitting locations for the remainder of the lamps. That was only one hundred and fifty years ago! | For many years the streets at night were patrolled by night Collection of Horace R. Grant, Hartford eed TE 73 OLD ENGLISH TIN HORN See page 50 LANTHORNE Photograph by Miss Northend, Salem ld 4 See page 52 PAINTED TIN AND GLASS WHALE- OIL HAND LAMP . Photograph by Miss Northend, Salem Pash oes See page 17 CAST IRON GREASE LAMP, SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED TO LIGHT THE WITCHCRAFT PRISONERS IN SALEM JAIL Collection of Doctor C. A. Q. Norton, Hartford PEALE go See pages 55, 50, 575 58, 59 OL, 03 TYPES OF OLD LANTERNS LANTERNS 61 watchmen who usually carried small hand lanterns and with their cry of the hour and “ All’s well ” told the inhabitants that they were performing their duty. These watchmen’s lanterns are sometimes found. The small triangular lantern in Plate 51 from the author’s collection is undoubtedly one of them. The bull’s-eye lantern in the writer’s collection in Plate 38 is a watchman’s lantern of a later date. Number 262 of Doctor Norton’s in Plate 46 is interesting as the very crude ancestor of our modern, slide-frame, farm lantern. This one, as you will note from the cut, burns a candle for light, protected from drafts by a glass chimney. This particular one, Doctor Norton says, was used in the ship- yard by Ericsson while the original Mowitor was being built. Another lantern connected with the naval history of our own Civil War is Number 240 on this plate. This is a heavy tin lantern called a “ Magazine Safety.” Note the large, thick bull’s eye fitted to the projecting tube. A broad-wick, copper, lard-oil lamp furnishes the light. The bail on top is of brass. ‘This ship’s lantern was taken from the U. S. S. Kearsarge after her famous victory over the C. S. Alabama. Number 285 is an odd combination of glass and pierced tin, semi-circular in shape, the top and back pierced, whereas the straight front has a glass panel. It is fitted with a single- burner, whale-oil lamp. This lantern was really quite an elegant affair, for it was silver plated inside and the lamp was of copper instead of the usual tin. In 1829 it hung in the gentlemen’s cabin of the Oliver Ellsworth, which is believed to have been the first boat to make the regular trips between Hartford and New York. Number 283 on this same Plate 46 of Doctor Norton’s is a rare type of square lantern, its glass sides protected with iron bands. Standing about nine inches high and provided with a heavy ring for carrying or hanging, it was originally fitted with a double-wick oil burner. The pierced lanterns from Mr. Gates’ collection, several of 62 COLONIAL LIGHTING which are shown in Plate 47 are an interesting variation from the types previously mentioned. They are often spoken of as Paul Revere lanterns, why I do not know, for it is extremely doubtful if such lanterns were ever used by that active patriot. The tall one in the center should be especially noted. Aside from its size, which is unusual, the piercings, which any Mason will at once recognize, makes it of great interest because it is the only one, to my knowledge, with these Masonic emblems worked into the design, although there may be similar ones in private hands. Many of these lanterns are pierced in intricate and beautiful designs so that, when illuminated with the candle light inside, the pattern is marked in light with a charming lace-like effect. The amount of real illumination, however, which they give 1s very small and they were probably used largely when one was obliged to be abroad evenings and carried close to the ground so that one could avoid puddles and rough places. These pierced lanterns should, however, be collected with considerable caution as they are comparatively easy to counter- feit, for acid treatments and burial in moist earth will give a new lamp a very creditable appearance of age and rust which will deceive the unwary. Since they are found in considerable numbers in many shops, I suspect that they are not always what they pretend to be. If possible, deal with reliable people and check up all information relating to previous owners and history of the lantern. If the dealer is honest, he will gladly help you with what knowledge he has to authenticate your purchases. As I have just remarked, the common name for these pierced tin lanterns is “ Paul Revere ” lanterns. Just why this type was selected as the lantern which the patriots hung out from the balcony of the old North Church I do not know, but popular tradition seems to have selected this particular type, and, in the absence of any definite proof to the contrary, will probably stick to its belief. I have, however, stood on the bridge be- 4 | } pe ne ee ee, ee LANTERNS 63 tween Boston and Charlestown with the tower of Christ Church (the old North Church) in plain view on my right, and the shores of Charlestown on the left, and tried to imagine one of these lanterns, with a candle or small whale-oil lamp glim- mering inside, hung out from the corner of the balcony round the spire. By the wildest stretch of the imagination, I cannot conceive of the slightest ray of light showing to any one ‘booted and spurred and ready to ride ” looking for a signal across the bay; so I infer that if the signal was really given by lantern it must have been by some other kind. In the Marine Museum in Salem, which was founded by the old sea captains and merchants in the East India trade, is a wooden ship lantern standing some two feet high, a huge, clumsy affair burning a candle in it for light. It was used be- fore 1750 by Captain Samuel Page of Danvers. By far the most interesting lantern of Doctor Norton’s on Plate 46 is the hanging one in the center of the top row, numbered 297. This hexagonal lantern, with iron frame and cathedral glass panels, lighted by a candle inside, though attractive in itself, is much more so from an historical stand- point; for this lantern hung in the upper hall of the famous Hancock mansion on Beacon Street, Boston, next to the State House, when from 1770 to 1780 the house was occupied by Governor Hancock and his charming wife. I doubt if the destruction of any of the many notable houses of New England has been more regretted than that of this Hancock mansion. Of an elegant and distinguished appear- ance, it stood for years a fitting companion to the imposing Bulfinch State House, but was finally demolished before the citizens of Boston awoke to its architectural and historic value. Its best memorials to-day are the designs used by several of the Staffordshire potters, showing the Boston State House flanked on either side by the Beacon Street residences of dis- tinguished Bostonians. These designs, printed in the fine old 64 COLONIAL LIGHTING blue and used on dinner sets, found ready sale in New England, but pieces of it to-day are rather rare and command good prices. One design shows the front of the State House and a bit of Boston Common, on which cows are feeding. Another shows an old, one-horse, two-wheeled chaise and also the houses of ~ the aristocratic neighbors of the governor: Honorable John Phillips, the father of Wendell Phillips; Doctor John Joy who lived on the corner of the present Joy Street; and, on the opposite side of the State House, the stately homes of Joseph Coolidge and Thomas Amory. The latter mansion was rented in 1825 to General Lafayette and his suite. Next to them was the house occupied for many years by Governor Christopher Gore, and next below, the home of Josiah Quincy, Jr. One of the Staffordshire potters, J. & J. Jackson, with works at Burslem, England, made a series of American views among which was one of the John Hancock house. All these plates are now very scarce and command a high price whenever offered for sale. This Hancock mansion was built in 1737 by John anki uncle, Thomas Hancock, from whom it came to John by in- heritance. The building itself was of stone, set back from the street and approached by a paved walk. In the north wing was a hall sixty feet long. In this wing many distinguished guests were received during Governor Hancock’s occupancy, so that this historic lantern has lighted the steps for such prominent men as Generals D’Estaing, Lafayette and Washington, and Lords Stanley and Wortley, Labouchere and Bougainville. In the last years of its existence (near the close of the Civil War) it was filled with valuable relics, pictures, and furniture. It is a burning disgrace to the citizens of Boston that they should have allowed the destruction of such a noble monument to one of Massachusetts’ most distinguished men. | The Hancock lantern came to Doctor Norton as a at inheritance, since he was a direct descendant of the famous ANO OINOSVW AHL ALON §9 ‘Eg sasvd aay SNUFLINVT NIL GaOudId ATO ANOod BET EM BLS ive p Aajsand0 4 ‘SaIDD “NT *g fo u01}937}0D TA RET ERROR OS 5 * an oe S% edie’ Sew 2 aS, Suess Fen ow *< os oe i ‘ +3 & o% ‘ : a % ore, Msi, eink. cbeeme PROS SES Ty TD, ¥ ol ‘oS sasvd aa¢ SHOIAAd ONILHOIT IO dNOUO ONILSAYALNI 8S’ ALK Id £91905 1DILAOJSUFT 494SIIAOAA 9Y] MOAT LANTERNS 6s Quincy family, as did also a pair of brass mantel lamps which were presented to Dorothy Quincy by her father on her mar- riage to John Hancock. Probably no figure stands out more prominently during the stirring days before and after the war which gained for the American Colonies their independence than does John Hancock. Of most distinguished appearance, standing fully six feet tall, and broad shouldered, he was usually dressed in the height of fashion, appearing one evening at a secret meeting of patriots in an apple green coat with silver buttons, knee breeches of silver net tied at the knee with ribbons to match in color his coat, white silk stockings and pumps with large silver buckles, while his shirt at wrist and throat was adorned with fine rich lace. His fine clothes, however, did not prevent him from taking active part in all the secret meetings and various plots of the American patriots who were seeking by every means possible to throw off the burdensome yoke of England. At this time, John Hancock had paid ardent court to one of Boston’s dis- tinguished beauties, Dorothy Quincy, the daughter of Judge Edmund Quincy, with such success that in spite of the attrac- tions of many other suitors, Dorothy had bestowed her heart and hand upon the young patriot and great preparations were being made for such a socially distinguished wedding. Judge Quincy, fittingly to celebrate the event, had ordered wall paper from Paris to be hung upon the walls of the parlor of the Quincy family mansion, which was built on a grant of five hundred acres at Braintree, now Quincy, Massachusetts. Miss Mary Northend, in her entertaining book, “ Historic Homes of New England ”, gives us a vivid glimpse of this love affair of John Hancock and “ Dorothy Q.” The wedding plans were rudely disarranged, however, by the Revolution, which broke out at this time. A price was set on the heads of some of the most ardent patriots by the British officials. John Hancock and Samuel Adams were forced to flee for safety to 66 COLONIAL LIGHTING Lexington because General Gage, commanding the British troops in Boston, had received orders to arrest them and ship them to England to be tried for high treason. But Adams and Hancock slipped quietly away before the British troops arrived there and took refuge in Woburn. While John Hancock was staying in Lexington, he was visited by his aunt, Madame Hancock, accompanied by his sweetheart, Dorothy Quincy, and when the warning came of the approach of the hated redcoats, Dorothy was for returning to her father’s house, but Hancock, knowing the hatred of the Tories for all the prominent patriots, of whom Dorothy’s — father was one, insisted that the two women should seek safety with them in Woburn. Dorothy, wishing to have her own way and assert her independence of her patriot lover, insisted upon returning to Boston and a lovers’ quarrel was the result. Finally Hancock and Adams were forced to escape to Woburn, taking with them Madame Hancock and Dorothy, who con- tinued on to Fairfield, Connecticut, where they took up their residence in the family of Thaddeus Burr. There Aaron Burr met and fell in love with Dorothy, and became so marked in his attentions that Madame Hancock became alarmed on be- half of her absent nephew and despatched a note to him ex- plaining the situation. John Hancock, thereupon, being too wise to reproach Dorothy for her fickleness, sent her a handsome present and a request for the hair chain which she had promised him. She, however, being apparently a maid who preferred to have her own way, at any rate while she remained single, continued her flirtation with the young and fascinating Army Lieutenant to such purpose that Madame Hancock sent a peremptory note demanding the immediate presence of John at Fairfield. Congress, of which he was an influential member, being in re- cess, he came in person and soon succeeded in regaining his place in the affections of the fair but fickle Dorothy, so that LANTERNS 67 soon after she became his wife and the mistress of the great mansion, where as the first lady of the Commonwealth she entertained in a truly regal manner. So this old lantern must have witnessed many merry gatherings of distinguished men and beautiful women within the walls lighted by its feeble beams. Since there is a great variety of such lanterns, I have de- voted a number of plates to them that my readers may get somewhat familiar with them. They offer a splendid field for the amateur just starting because they are comparatively easy to find, usually priced at a few dollars, and, if in fairly good con- dition, will give their owner the satisfactory feeling of having acquired something that really counts in a new collection. They are quite decorative and my private opinion is that in a few years the ones with the good old glass in the odd shapes which they used will have generally disappeared from the markets, and when found will command much higher prices than at the present time. _ The three plates representing lanterns from the collection of Mr. Gates of Worcester show a well-selected variety, each lantern being a good representative of its particular kind. Plate 54 perhaps shows the most unusual ones. The central one has, as the cut plainly shows, four places for candles. The front is one large glass pane. . The semi-circular back, which is of bright tin to act as a reflector, has a small door in the center through which the candles may be lighted and snuffed. The outside is japanned and provided with a stout handle and a ventilator in the top to allow the smoke and hot air to escape. This lantern was undoubtedly used to light a store, or, as Mr. Gates thinks, may have been used to illuminate a show case or window. ‘The square one at the left has three sides of glass and the fourth of tin which opens. The small reflector against it enlarges the flame from the camphene burning lamp within. The brass extinguisher on the top of the wick holder, with a 68 COLONIAL LIGHTING ring through its top instead of the customary chain, is an inno- vation quite uncommon, as is also the arrangement of the top of the lamp and handle. The other one is six sided, much rarer than the round or square lamp, and is lighted by a candle. It has both a handle at the back and a ring on top for carrying. ‘The ventilator on top, from which the ring hangs, is also of a very unusual type. Odd variations like these make a collection of much more interest than a large number of the commoner types. Plate 55 shows three of the more common type, but in excellent condition, the first one having a good ribbed glass. The next one, with the glass protected by a wire guard, is a conductor’s lantern and was used on the old Fitchburg & Worcester Railroad. With a reading glass one can distinguish the initials F & W cut in the glass. The third is a lantern manufactured at the works of the New England Glass Co. (spoken of in Chapter VI) stamped with their name and “ Pat. Oct. 24, 1854.” The last one on the right is of a some- what earlier and cruder type, with a handle at the back and folding tin doors opening in front of the flame over a mica window — a great rarity in this type. The other plate, Number 47 of Mr. Gates’, gives us views of two good square lanterns for candles, protected by wire guards but of quite dissimilar designs. Of the two pierced ones, the first is an excellent lantern of an unusually good de- sign and exceptional workmanship, while the larger one is chiefly interesting from its Masonic emblems, spoken of else- where in this chapter. The writer has two of these tin lanterns with the original glass, shown in Plate 51, neither of which is unusual, both for whale-oil lamps. The little triangular watchman’s lantern in this plate is, however, odd in its small size: it is only about four inches high, with two sides of glass and the back of tin. It is lighted by a small, three-cornered oil lamp attached to the Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan ee eh 70 ROUND WHALE-OIL LANTERNS See page 60 Collection of Henry Ford, Michigan fee Peso CANDLE LANTERNS IN BRASS AND TIN See page 69 . . | Colleciion of the Author PLA Tes See pages 14, 25, 32, 61, 68 THREE TIN LANTERNS AND EARLY TIN WHALE-OIL LAMP Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus Photograph by Miss Northend, Salem PLATE 2 See page 99 PLATE Se See page 52 FINE TYPE PEWTER SPARK OR TAVERN LAMP CANDLESTICK WITH MICA CHIMNEY LANTERNS 69 bottom, which is hinged at the back and drops down, fastening by a spring at the side. To one collecting lanterns, an endless variety is a constant incentive to add still more. Even of railroad lanterns there is quite a variety and a fairly sizable collection might be made from these alone. In Plate 49 from the collection of Mr. Henry Ford of Michigan, the two at the right are very evi- dently of this classification — one having the initials of the road ground on the glass and both with double whale-oil burners. The smaller one with the octagonal glass and the single-tube burner is more familiar, but the queer shaped one at the left with the hook on top is not familiar to me and may be a type of miner’s lamp of the old whale-oil burning kind, though I am not sure. Plate 50 shows four good candle lanterns also from Mr. Ford’s collection. The oldest one in the group, I should judge, is the tin lantern at the right with its glass sides pro- tected by the crude wire guards. The remaining ones are of brass and the two in the center have mica windows. In Plate 41 Mr. Ford gives a view of four lanterns of perhaps a little later type. The one with the triangular top is unusual while the two tin lanterns at the right with the taper- ing square tops are of designs not commonly found. Unusual lanterns of good design like these are certainly a source of satisfaction to their owner and bear me out in my statement that perhaps no branch of lamp collecting yields richer or more satisfactory returns than does this one of lanterns. In the rooms of the Worcester Historical Society are a num- ber of interesting lighting devices which they have kindly allowed me to photograph. In Plate 40 is a quaint old lantern, _ acombination of wooden sides with glass windows and a perfo- rated tin top with a door opening on wire hinges. It is lighted by a candle which may be seen inside in an old turned-up edge, 70 COLONIAL LIGHTING tin candlestick and is carried by a leather strap over the top. This lantern is probably of quite early make. Another is shown in Plate 48, the first on the left, a small, square, tin lantern with glass front and sides and a solid back upon which a tin reflector is hung to increase the light from the small sperm-oil lamp. Note the shape of the lamp and the ring to pull it out by. Also note a quite unusual feature, one I have never seen before —a folding tin handle on the back of the door which shuts up perfectly flat when not in use. _ The second lantern in this plate, though not so unusual, is a good example of a tin, watchman’s, or dark, lantern. The curved door with its heavy bull’s eye of glass is open to show the small two-wick, sperm-oil lamp in the base. The tin slide, which shuts off the light and is controlled by the knob at the bottom, is shown partly closed. A een with an unusual glass is shown in Plite 65. Since most of the lanterns had plain glass globes, it is rather uncom- mon to find one with a glass like this with its three rows of “ nail-heads ” around it. This is not a very old lantern, as its lamp indicates. Lanterns were of very ancient origin. In China they have been in common use for thousands of years, their origin being lost in the dim mists before the beginning of authentic history. It is stated that in some of her ancient books, the use of paper lanterns in temple worship is mentioned as early as five thou- sand years before Christ. In the first month of the new year is held in China the “ Feast of Lanterns ”, one of their great national festivals, in which the streets of the cities and towns are lined with innumerable lanterns of every conceivable size, shape and color, some of paper but many of beautiful silks, painted and decorated, with elaborately carved and gilded frames, some of them very costly. The following Chinese legend is given as the origin of this Festival: An only daughter of a famous and powerful mnantaeet LANTERNS 71 while walking on the edge of a pond on her father’s estate, had the misfortune to fall into the water and was supposed to have drowned. Her father, with his neighbors, went to look for his beloved child. Happily she was found and rescued from her dangerous position and restored to her parent. To celebrate the recovery of his daughter, the grateful father held a festival annually on the spot where she was found, and, because lanterns played such an important part in her recovery, he had the whole park brilliantly illuminated. From this beginning the “ Feast of Lanterns ” grew and in time became a national festival. In the elaborate carvings upon the inner walls of the rock- hewn tombs wherein were laid the mummies of Egypt’s rulers hundreds of years before the Christian era, may be seen the representation of a soldier carrying a long rod from the end of which is suspended a lantern not unlike the so-called “ Paul Revere ” or perforated tin lanterns shown on these pages. In the Bible, so far as I am aware, lanterns are mentioned but once. Inthe New Testament, John 18: 3, we read, “ Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons,” showing that the use of lanterns was well known in those days and probably among other nations as well, for they are spoken of by early Greek and Roman writers. Our modern word is a derivation of the old English word “ Janthorn ”, referring no doubt to the thin plates of scraped cow’s horn which often formed the sides of those very early English ones. That they were in common use in Europe at an early date is proved by many old writers and by old en- gravings. In 1416 the Lord Mayor of London, “ ordained, that lanterns with lights be hanged out on winter evenings, betwixt Hallowtide and Candlemasse.” Allusions to lanterns in Shakespeare are quite common and 72 COLONIAL LIGHTING in Queen Anne’s time, lighting with lanterns seems to have been very general in London. There is an old English print made shortly after the famous gunpowder plot of Guy Fawkes in 1604 which shows him at the moment of his discovery in the vaults beneath the House of Parliament. He is there depicted with a small dark lantern in his hand very similar to some of the very early lanterns shown in this book. It is very evident, then, that the shapes and general charac- teristics of our early Colonial lanterns were copied from those in use on the Continent. After the War for Independence was over and the colonists had recovered from its effect upon their business, the daily currents of affairs had resumed their regular flow, and the wealth of the communities increased; there was an increased demand for luxuries from those who could afford them. Many articles were imported from England and the Continent, which were either not made here or of which the workmanship was not to be compared to the more finished and artistic products of England, France, Italy and other countries of Europe. Nearly every vessel entering our ports from abroad brought quantities of china, glassware, silver, materials for all kinds of clothing, linens, silks, and many other things. The newspapers from about 1785 to 1810 printed many advertisements which make fascinating reading to-day. It was very common to advertise the arrival of a vessel and give a list of her cargo for sale. Some of the articles there mentioned would be totally unknown to the young people of to-day. The wealthier people demanded more and better lighting for their large fine houses and began to give thought and attention to a subject which up to now had been almost neglected, the lighting of the different halls of their mansions. I have already spoken of the lantern which lighted the hall of the Governor Hancock house in Boston. It was customary 99 ‘Zo sasvd aay SNUDTLNVI GAdVHS-ddO JaUHL LOST TIC Ded ; 4a4saad0 Mj ‘SaqD4) “NI ‘g {0 U01}997]0) AVOW1IVU WALSAOYOM LSUTA NO dasn ANO SNUALNVI GIO waod xs FEET ch 4a4Sa2d0 4 ‘S2IDD *N *g fe uorj2a7/0.) LANTERNS 73 to have one hung from the ceiling in the front hall near the foot of the winding flight of stairs which led to the floor above. In addition most of the larger houses had other lanterns, perhaps not so elaborate, in the other halls. Tradition has it that there were three lanterns in the lower hall of the Hancock mansion. The home of the famous Lord Timothy Dexter in New- buryport is said to’have been lighted by many beautiful lamps and lanterns. No less than four hanging lanterns of most elegant design are said to have been used in lighting his dining room. | Many of these lanterns, as well as the more elaborate chandeliers and candelabra spoken of in another chapter, were imported from England and France, where work of this kind was in a much more advanced state than in this country. The earlier hall lanterns burned candles, but in the later ones whale-oil lamps were used. Beautiful work was put into the hanging frames of brass or bronze and particularly into the glass for the lanterns or the fanciful shaped globes, elaborately cut and etched and often of colored glass. Careless handling, of course, was fatal; and for that reason one rarely finds a good old hanging lamp with the original glass unbroken. In Plate 113 you have a fine example of one of those hall lanterns. I do not know surely, but from its appearance should judge it to be an imported one. Note the grace of the whole design. The three bronze chains support the delicately curved arms from the upper rim. The same design is repeated on the lamp holder at the base of the ruby glass globe, upon which 1s ground a bold design, showing the clear glass beneath. Over the top is a clear glass smoke protector. Two others from Mr. Gates’ collection are given in Plate 112, both excellent specimens, the smaller at the left having a plain glass which held a candle for light, the ornamentation 74 COLONIAL LIGHTING being in the band holding the globe and the candle holder to match. The larger one, with a globe of similar shape but cut, has a metal band to hold it at the extreme top. Both are in perfect condition. Plate 89 shows a hall at “ Indian Hill ” the fine old mansion at West Newbury, Massachusetts, near Byfield, formerly owned and occupied by the late Ben Perley Poore, an enthusi- astic collector of antiques. This hall is not in the original house which dates from 1680, but is part of a wing lately built. Into it has gone old lumber and parts of other old houses, so that it well preserves the lines and atmosphere of the rest of the house. Mr. Poore hung an old lantern here and Miss North- end has kindly allowed me to use this photograph that my readers may see an old hall lantern in its proper environment. sie ao eS oe aa ie se CHAPTER V CANDLES AND CANDLE HOLDERS Tue first cattle imported from England were three cows in 1630, but cattle were not common for twenty or thirty years more. Consequently there was little fat or tallow for the making of candles; and the fat. of the deer and bear which roamed the woods in large numbers at that time was fre- quently used. A cheap form of candle was the pith of the common reed known as cat-o’-nine-tails (so common in all New England swamps) when dipped in tallow or similar fats. These candles, known as “rush-lights ”, were burned in peculiar holders made so that the unburned portion could be curled up, straightening it out as it was consumed. Other substitutes for tallow were found in the wax from the honeycombs of the swarms of wild bees, found in crevices of the rocks and in decayed tree trunks all through the New England forests, and also quite extensively in the fruit of the bayberry, growing on low bushes along the edges of the salt water in the sand dunes. Spermaceti, a fatty substance found in the head of the sperm whale, made most excellent candles, giving about double the light of the tallow dips, and was also used for many years. In 1730 a few of the streets of Boston were lighted by little square tin lanterns enclosing spermaceti candles. Candles were a luxury for many years. In 1634 no candles could be purchased for less than fourpence, a sum which was considered the height of extravagance in those days. 76 COLONIAL LIGHTING Although most families used their oil lamps on all ordi- nary occasions, they almost all kept a good supply of candles on hand for all special affairs and it was one of the duties of the thrifty housewife each fall to make up and store away a large enough supply to carry them through until another fall. Two distinct ways of candle making were used, dipping and moulding. Dipping, the earlier method, was the more in- teresting and required no little skill on the part of the maker. In the fall when the cattle were killed to supply the win- ter’s meat, great iron kettles were hung from the long cranes over the fire in the kitchen fireplace, filled with tallow, or whatever fat was to be used, and boiling water. The fat rising to the top was carefully skimmed off and, after this process was repeated several times to clear the tallow of all impurities, was put back over the fire where it would keep at as even a temperature as possible. Two long poles were then placed parallel to each other across the backs of chairs with smaller sticks crosswise from which hung the candle wicks. These shorter sticks with the cotton wicks hanging down at regular intervals would then be taken, one at a time, quickly dipped in the kettle of hot fat, and hung up to dry across the two long poles. By the time the housewife had reached the last stickful of wicks, the first ones would be sufficiently cooled for a second dipping and so the process was repeated; each dipping adding another coating of wax over the previous one, until the candles were of the desired thickness. The skill came in keeping the kettle of fat at just the right temperature to add a bit to the candles at each dipping. If too hot it would tend to melt off what had been previously put on and no gain in size would be made, and if too cool it would lump and give the candle an uneven surface which would prevent its proper burning. | The good house-mothers took as much pride in their candles as did our own grandmothers in their skill in making the tooth- Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus Ber lLAaTrTsé «56 : See pages 82, 83, 94, 96 PODS ArED? TIN WALL SCONCE, TIN TINDER BOX WITH CANDLE HOLDER ON COVER AND IRON PISTOL TINDER Collection of C. L. Cooney, Saugus ed Ti 57 See page 25 DeOeLAMP IN COPPER, USED BY EARLY JESUIT MISSIONARIES TO_THE INDIANS E9 ‘z9 sabod aay STAUGLS GNV SLNITA ‘SAXO@ UTANIL AO SAILAIUVA OS Tere Tod adominog ‘aac “IW “A “4 fo u0}122110D CANDLES AND CANDLE HOLDERS 77 some pies and rich cakes for which New England cooks were justly noted. As you can imagine, this candle making was an exceedingly slow and tiresome task; the candles had to be cooled very slowly or they would be apt to crack, and the fire and pots watched constantly, but it was no uncommon thing for a skilled worker to turn out two hundred finished candles in a day. For the second process, which came into use a little later, tin and sometimes pewter moulds were used (as shown in Plates 59 and 60). These moulds ranged from single candles to as many as six or eight dozen or even more in a mould, and the process, of course, was much simpler and more rapid. Still care and some degree of skill had to be used in keeping the candle wicking taut and straight as it hung down inside the mould. Plate 59 shows a group of candle moulds from the collection of Mr. V. M. Hillyer of Baltimore. The larger wooden stand at the right containing two dozen pewter moulds is a particularly rare piece. In Mr. Hillyer’s description of this photograph he says, “ Candle moulds usually had from two to two dozen barrels and were made of either tin or pewter. The twelve barrel mould was perhaps the com- monest, although six and eight were not unusual. The single barrel pewter mould illustrated is probably one of a bank like the large one of twenty-four barrels shown standing at the right. The mould in the right foreground shows how the wicks were supported before the tallow was poured. An original poured tallow candle in the single barrel mould shows the loop that was of necessity always found in such candles.” Another interesting group of smaller tin candle moulds is seen on Plate 60 from Mr. Gates’ collection. Hanging on the wall is a four-candle tin mould (the tin moulds commonly used came in one, two, four, six, eight, twelve and sometimes twenty-four and higher candle combinations, though four, six and twelve seem to have been in most common use) showing 78 COLONIAL LIGHTING the finished candles in place just as moulded, the stick at the top holding the wick loops while the tops are projecting from the ends of the moulds at the bottom. The four-candle mould at the right is filled but shows some of the candles partly drawn out; the loops here are more plainly seen. All! of these candle moulds are in excellent condition and this plate will give one a good idea of the candle-making process. The writer has a tall two-candle mould and several of twelve and twenty-four candle capacity. Candle moulds a few years ago were very plentiful and lightly valued, but the demands of collectors have become so insistent lately as to ‘Prachcahy sweep the market bare. The bayberries furnished the material for the choicest candles, and since it took a large quantity of berries for each candle made, they were highly prized and kept for very 1m- portant occasions. The bayberry is a very small, silvery-gray berry, growing in thick clusters on the brittle stems of a low- growing bush found close to the seashore. It has to be boiled and skimmed several times before the fat is a delicate, semi- transparent light green indicating that it is sufficiently refined. These candles burn quite freely and give off a delicate fragrance. As the demand for candles increased, in time men made a business of travelling from house to house around the country, stopping a day or two in each place long enough to make up the winter’s supply and they were usually warmly welcomed because they supplied the family not only with candles but also with all the news and gossip of the countryside, a matter of no small importance when newspapers were unknown. With the use of candles came the making of an infinite variety of holders, so that a collector may have.a very busy and interesting time if he simply wishes to confine himself to’ candlesticks and candle holders. He may find them in iron, tin, pewter, wood, brass, glass, silver and earthenware, with a feos AND CANDLE HOLDERS § 479 bewildering variation in form, size, design, etc., in each kind. Some are common enough to be found in almost any little country antique store, while others are so rarely met with that it often takes years of patient search before one is rewarded. I am fortunate enough to number among my friends Mr. Burton N. Gates of Worcester, a gentleman who has been for many years a collector of that fascinating ware made in the town of Bennington. In 1793 two brothers from Connecticut by the name of Norton started a pottery in Bennington, Vermont, for the manufacture of common earthenware household utensils from the red earth found in that vicinity. In 1800 they commenced the making of stoneware. Just how long they continued or how successful they were, I am unable to say, but in 1846 three young men formed a partnership under the firm name of Fenton, Hall, and Norton and commenced the making of yellow, white and Rockingham wares in the old stoneware pottery of the Nortons. This enterprise seems to have met with success from the start. In 1849 new buildings were erected and occupied. The membership of the firm changed several times, one or another of the partners dropping out and others coming in, but Mr. Fenton remained and seems to have been the guiding spirit of the enterprise. The name of United States Pottery, Bennington, Vermont, was now adopted and the products were generally known under this name. They made several dif- ferent wares, but the white Parian marble and the mottled Rockingham or Flint Enameled ware as it was called seems to have been the most popular. This latter ware, a patent for which was issued to Mr. Fenton, is what is commonly known to collectors to-day as Bennington, and this is the ware of which the collection of candlesticks shown by Mr. Gates is made. The mottled coloring of browns, yellows, soft greens with touches here and there of dull blues and reds produced a 80 COLONIAL LIGHTING very lovely and striking effect, which seems to have exactly suited the tastes of the public; for these wares became very popular, so that by 1853 the pottery was employing one hun- dred hands. This coloring was produced by different metallic oxydes applied on the glaze, which latter served as a medium to float them about upon the surface while in a state of fusion, this producing the variegated tints and moss-like effect. Many other potteries, seeing the success of this ware, tried to imitate it, as several examples in his collection of Mr. Gates will show, but any one at all familiar with the genuine Ben- nington can tell it at a glance. The factory, however, was short-lived, closing its doors in 1858 when Mr. Fenton moved West. To-day there is probably no American ware more eagerly sought or more ardently admired than Bennington. Many collectors specialize in it, and so keen is the rivalry whenever a really good piece comes on the market as to often run the price up to three figures. This wonderful collection of Bennington candlesticks in rich and distinctive colorings of mottled cream, brown, yellow, and dull green glaze, the distinctive mark of this ware, is all in perfect condition. The collection shown in Plate 71 is the reward of many years of patient and diligent seeking, the value of which can only be approximated when one considers how rarely to-day can be found even a single one and that usually damaged. In this collection the pair of candlesticks just at the left of the center, with the pierced bases, are spurious, made to imitate Bennington by E. & W. Bennett, potters of Balti- more. The single stick at the right of the center is also an imitation and was made by a potter in Trenton, New Jersey. All the others are genuine Benningtons and the central piece, which is a lamp base, is marked. This is the only lamp, so far as I am aware, in any collection to-day, marked with the Bennington stamp. ‘These candlesticks are only a small part LL asd aag UALMAd AGNV NIL NI SGTNOW ATIGNVO 40 dNoUd 657 Te ha adomnjog ‘4acyrTT “JX "A fo “01201109 me ee 2apd 276 | SHIGNVO HLIM GATTI OML ‘SATAOW ATGNVO NIL 40 dnowo OO OF LP Ld Sg eee My is 4 42189240 A, ‘S21DD *N *g fo u01729]07 «} ee CANDLES AND CANDLE HOLDERS 81 of the collection of Bennington which he has been gathering for many years and which now includes specimens of almost all the many forms of pitchers, bowls, household utensils of all kinds, mantel ornaments, picture frames, small statuettes, etc., which were turned out by those Vermont potteries. Other potteries, less celebrated than Bennington, occasionally made candlesticks and some were brought from England, but metal and glass candlesticks were the more commonly used. Of the iron ones, which were of early make and quite soon superseded by tin and brass, few remain to-day. Although they are crude and far from ornamental, they are of interest to the collector who wishes to make his record as complete as possible and should be sought for. They were usually in the form of a small cylinder attached to a broad base and sometimes had a slide in the cylinder which enabled the candle to be pushed up as it was burned. One of the special features found on some of these early iron candle- sticks is a lip of iron at the top of the stick where the candle enters the socket. This is for the purpose of hanging on the high ladder-back or similar type chair so that the light coming over the shoulder may guide the fingers of the knitter or illumine the pages of the book of the reader sitting in the chair. Mr. B. N. Gates has placed one of these on the back of a chair to illustrate the method of using, in Plate 22, though a higher chair with more slats should have been used. Candlestands in iron were often wrought by the skilled hands of the early blacksmiths, showing in most cases a strong feeling for line and proportion and often delicately and skillfully wrought. Plate 6 from the collection of Mr. C. L. Cooney shows a well designed table stand for two candles, the graceful arms and legs and the twisted stems being very well done. Note particularly the curved top to lift it by and the very graceful legs, also the spiral twists in both the central upright and the two candle branches. 82 COLONIAL LIGH Ties In Plate 5 are two taller stands, also from Mr. Cooney’s collection, for use beside the big fireplaces. These are also well worth close inspection for the workmanship is of a high order. : One of the most vexatious things about the early lamps and candles were the means for lighting them. As friction matches were not invented until 1827 and did not come into general use until some years later, and even then were rather clumsy affairs and by no means certain, the use of flint and steel and tinder boxes was universal. Of course by far the easiest way, when there was a fire on the hearth, was to light a sliver of resinous wood from the glowing coals. Very carefully was the fire covered at night with ashes so that live coals in the morning might be easily fanned into a cheerful blaze. But there were times when it was necessary to get a light when a fire was not available and then the tinder box was resorted to. In Plates 56 and 58 may be seen a tin tinder box with a stand on the lid for a candle. These boxes were filled with charred linen cloth or some substance which would catch fire easily, called tinder, and then a bit of rough flint with a sharp edge was struck sharply against a piece of iron causing sparks to fall into the box igniting the tinder. A very early flint, steel and tinder box which has seen much actual service is shown in Plate 74. This was a pocket outfit, the flint with the flat piece of steel resting on it at the right and the tinder box which consisted of a hollow wooden tube for carrying the tinder, with a cork stopper at the left. The cork has been taken out to show several bits of the charred rags which were used as tinder. A small piece of wood coated with sulphur was then thrust into the burning tinder and from this primitive match the candle or lamp was lighted. It often took some time to get a light to the exhaustion of one’s patience and temper. i Siege ee LS ee ea a Ee ya ey Oe ee ee | a a a ak pasate. oes AND CANDLE HOLDERS 83 A unique variation of a flint and steel is shown in Plate 56 from Mr. C. L. Cooney’s collection. This was for use in the well-to-do homes and is exactly the same in principle and al- most identical in appearance to the old flint-lock musket or pistol. Instead of the hole into the barrel where the spark from the flint and steel would ignite the powder, there was a tiny square tinder box into which the spark fell when the trigger was pulled, and, after several attempts usually, the tinder would catch fire and then the candle, which was often attached to the side of the pistol tinder box, could be lighted. In Plate 58 may be seen a very extraordinary collection of tinder boxes used in Colonial America and all probably of home manufacture with the exception of the box-like arrange- ment in the lower row which seems to be of Spanish origin. This wonderful collection is reproduced here by courtesy of its owner, Mr. V. M. Hillyer of Baltimore, who describes them as follows: “