Description:
Wrought iron fat lamp (also known as a crusie or betty lamp) with two triangular-shaped pans and an attached hook. The basic shape of the fat lamp changed little from pre-Roman civilizations until the 19th century; generally they are hanging grease-burning lamps with one or two pans (the second, lower pan could catch drippings), and little or no wick support. The lamp was filled with animal fat or oil and a fabric wick lit to illuminate a small area within the house; unfortunately, fat lamps are better known for their smoke than light since they could be extremely sooty and smelly depending on the fat source - beef fat or tallow was preferred. Although made by America blacksmiths, many were imported by American merchants from Birmingham, England. On this lamp, the lower pan is attached to the back support, and the upper pan is removable; the wick would lie at the end of the top pan, and droppings would fall to the lower pan to be reused later.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+69.0828 |
