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Betty Lamp
Betty Lamp
Betty Lamp

Betty Lamp

Periodca. 1750 - 1800
MediumBrass, iron
Dimensions9.5 × 3.06 × 4.5 in. (24.1 × 7.8 × 11.4 cm)
ClassificationsLighting Equipment & Accessories
Credit LineMuseum Collection
Object number1990.596
DescriptionA betty lamp, with a shallow circular oil pan with small circular knob in the center bottom, a double spout at one end of the pan and a short vertical arm at the opposite rim edge which curved inward over the pan itself. Attached to the arm is a short chain link and a thin hook arm ending in a curved spike.
Curatorial RemarksSmall oil lamps such as this wrought iron and brass "Betty" lamp provided light to early Colonial householders. This particular lamp used fish oil as the burning medium, with a braided wick set into the spout. The prong hook allowed the lamp to be placed almost anywhere light was needed, with the sharp spike allowing the light to be fastened to a hearth mantle, the back of a chair, or a ceiling beam. The light shed by betty lamps was feeble, and required constant tending to keep the wick from crusting over. Some betty lamps were made with a second slightly larger drip pan below the main oil pan to catch and reuse the dripping oil. This lamp has a double spout, with a slightly smaller spout wedge just above the larger spout, serving the same purpose.
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