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Author Topic: Mystery oil lamp  (Read 734 times)

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Offline SC

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Mystery oil lamp
« on: September 30, 2021, 09:57:58 am »
I have not been able to find any reference for this oil lamp.

The spout is broken at the hole but there are traces of carbonization still visible.

It appears to have a broken loop handle at the rear.

The weirdest bit is that the centre hole is not a fill hole.  It goes right through and has cylindrical walls so the interior chamber is not breached.  Instead, the fill hole is at the rear as part of the handle assembly.

Shawn
SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Mark Fox

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2021, 07:28:23 pm »
Thursday, September, 30, 2021

Dear Shawn and Board,
 
A very interesting piece, Shawn! 

As for the hole, I am no expert on such things at present, but I can visualize it being used as a rod insert for a lamp stand.  And if the stand accepted several lamps, it would probably make for a fairly impressive sight and bright idea for a ecclesiastical setting.


Best regards,

Mark Fox
Michigan

Offline v-drome

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2021, 10:52:13 pm »
Well, this is certainly a long shot, but to me the decoration and form appears very bird-like.  Strobilus2 (David Knell) has an article on his website http://www.romulus2.com/lamps/articles/art4.htm about central tubes in Hellenistic oil lamps intended as finger holes to aid in grasping and carrying safely.  Perhaps this lamp was intended to sit in the hand of a statue?  At any rate, a beautiful and interesting piece!

V-drome

Offline Virgil H

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2021, 01:56:54 am »
This is really interesting and I am no expert, but I have an observation from the pictures, although I may be totally wrong. But, where is the spout? What you describe as a broken handle looks more like a broken spout to me. The fill hole on the left in the top picture looks like it was the handle as well. The through hole is very interesting and it certainly makes sense it was used for mounting. But, there has to be a burn spout somewhere, right? Or is that the same as the fill hole?

Virgil

Offline Virgil H

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2021, 02:00:05 am »
And I just realized I totally misread your post. Mine should really be deleted as you said exactly what I said.

Virgil

Offline Strobilus2

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2021, 11:40:04 pm »
Your pottery lamp is of the Byzantine period and was made in Asia Minor during the 5th-6th centuries AD. The end of the nozzle and part of the handle are missing.

The unusual configuration, while rare in pottery lamps, is sometimes found on metal examples of this period. The central tube (with internal sleeve) allowed the lamp to be mounted on the pricket (spike) of a lampstand. As you noted, the filling-hole is incorporated in the handle.

I can't currently recall any references for this type but I hope my information has helped.

David
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Offline SC

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Re: Mystery oil lamp
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2021, 07:40:20 am »
Thanks David.  Very useful.

I took a chance on this lamp.  I saw it in an antique shop (with nothing else older than about 200 years), in a small town in Austria about 8 years ago.  It was 20 euros.

I remember thinking that it had a very weird design and could well be fake given price and location, but that the fabric looked very good.

SC


SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

 

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