This book traces the design and evolution of oil lighting, examining in detail the varieties and design features of many of the lamps which were made particularly in the Victorian period. A great many of these lamps still survive today, either converted to electricity or in their original form in antique shops. Whether a collector or antique dealer, this fascinating book is certain to fill gaps in the reader's knowledge of oil lighting.

Near the turn of the twentieth century, the mass production of affordable lighting forever changed how we work, play, and live. This tectonic shift is directly related to the availability of cheap petroleum-based oil and the refinement of the kerosene lamp. Author Catherine Thuro devoted years of research to compiling a record of these formerly ubiquitous lighting devices. Oil Lamps is her first masterpiece: a comprehensive, invaluable resource. With over 1,000 lamps shown in detailed studio photographs, clearly reproduced illustrations from catalogues and trade journals, this book is the definitive visual compilation of kerosene lamps and accessories. The clear photography is also matched by detailed and engaging explanations about the origins of lamp styles. Thuro places the kerosene lamp in cultural and historical context, discussing the revolutionary large-scale production of these luminaries, the wide array of raw material used, and the far-reaching consequences of a society literally brought into the light on a massive scale. For both historical and comparative information, this is a must-have reference for collectors.

In the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum are more than six hundred ancient lamps that span the sixth century BCE to the seventh century CE, most from the Roman Imperial period and largely created in Asia Minor or North Africa. These lamps have much to reveal about life, religion, pottery, and trade in the ancient Graeco-Roman world. Most of the Museum’s lamps have never before been published, and this extensive typological catalogue will thus be an invaluable scholarly resource for art historians, archaeologists, and those interested in the ancient world. Reflecting the Getty's commitment to open content, Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum is available online at http://www.getty.edu/publications/ancientlamps and may be downloaded free of charge in multiple formats, including PDF, MOBI/Kindle, and EPUB, and features zoomable images and multiple views of every lamp, an interactive map drawn from the Ancient World Mapping Center, and bibliographic references. For readers who wish to have a bound reference copy, a paperback edition has been made available for sale.

A catalogue and analysis of over 1000 Roman-period oil lamps from the Holy Land within the collection of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The Roman period in Palestine begins with the conquest of the East by Pompey in 63 BCE - essentially the period representing the continuation of the partial political and cultural annexation of the country to Western civilisation following the earlier arrival of Greek and Hellenistic culture. By the same author, see also BAR S1598 2007: Oil-Lamps in the Holy Land: Saucer Lamps and BAR S2015 2009: Greek and Hellenistic Wheel and Mould Made Closed Oil Lamps in the Holy Land.

The ceramic oil lamps in this collection once burned in the Holy Land, lit by the oil of its abundant olive trees and conceived by the imagination of its early inhabitants. The lamps' symbols, designs, shape and decorations allow us to learn about the time and place they were made, and the culture and standard of living of those who used them.