Thanks to Sir Thomas Edison and technological advancements, we no longer need antique oil lamps, but that doesn’t mean we can’t want them. These relics have been with us, lighting the pathway long before the light bulb era.
Even though they’re not the primary go-to in today’s environment, Antique oil lamps still hold a certain appeal and serve as a secondary light source in emergencies. As long as you have oil, you can rely on the lamp to light up a room, and that’s worth spending some money.
For a small fee of $25 – $150, you can get an antique oil lamp to beautify your country home. However, if you prefer luxury, check out some of the more expensive high-valued antique oil lamps.
We’re here to ease your collection journey and help you avoid common mistakes like picking a Kerosene lamp instead of an oil-powered one.
Table of Contents
The Top 20 Most Valuable Antique Oil Lamps
| No. | NAME | YEAR | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragonfly Oil Lamp | 1880 | $11,869.34 |
| 2 | Blue Dragon | 1860 | $9,500 |
| 3 | LONGWY Ormolu Oil Lamp | 1850 | $6,700 |
| 4 | Dresden Porcelain Oil Lamp | 1880 | $5,150 |
| 5 | French Empire Chandelier | 1800s | $5,030 |
| 6 | PRUSS Miners Lamp | 1800 | $4,499 |
| 7 | Sinumbra Boston Sandwich Oil Lamp | 1850 – 1899 | $4,250 |
| 8 | Aladdin Swan Oil Lamp | 1800s | $4,200 |
| 9 | Sukunda-Newaru Bronze Lamp | c. late 1600s – early 1700s | $3,500 |
| 10 | The Fisherman Oil Rain Lamp | 1970s | $3,000 |
| 11 | Raoul Larche “Loie Fuller” Lamp | 1901 | $5,319.96 |
| 12 | Handel Reverse Painted Lamp (Feb) | Early 20th Century | $4,850 |
| 13 | Handel Reverse Painted Lamp (Jan) | Early 20th Century | $4,450 |
| 14 | Pairpoint Lamp Corp | Early 20th Century | $4,450 |
| 15 | French Empire Figural Candelabra Pair | 19th Century | $3,995 |
| 16 | Tiffany Style Slag Glass Lamp #39 | Art Deco Era | $3,500 |
| 17 | Danse De Lumiere Cobalt Glass Nude Lamp | c. 1930 | $3,000 |
| 18 | Venetian Murano Glass Pendant Lights | Early 20th Century | GBP 1,795 |
| 19 | Victorian Glass Dragon Shade Oil Lamps (Pair) | Victorian Era | $2,150 |
| 20 | Victorian Puffy Grape Cluster Parlor Oil Lamp | Victorian Era | $1,995 |
20. Antique Victorian Puffy Grape Cluster Parlor Table Oil Lamp
Year: Victorian Era Price: $1,995
If you have spent any time hunting Victorian pieces, you know how hard it is to find parlor lamps in decent condition. The puffy grape cluster design was one of the more popular motifs of the era, and glassmakers put serious effort into the three-dimensional molding that made each piece feel sculptural rather than flat.
What makes this one stand out is how well the glass has held up. The grapes and vine details are still crisp, and the overall form is intact without chips or cracks along the base. That kind of survival after 150 years is not something you can take for granted when you are shopping this category.
At just under two thousand dollars, it is a reasonable entry point for a serious Victorian lamp collection. You are getting genuine period glass, a recognizable and well-loved style, and something that looks genuinely impressive sitting on a shelf or side table in almost any room.
19. A Pair of Beautiful Victorian Glass Dragon Shade Oil Lamps
Year: Victorian Era Price: $2,150
Pairs are always harder to come by than singles, and that is a big part of why this listing drew attention. Victorian dragon motifs pulled heavily from Eastern design influence, and these globe shades carry that clearly in the painted details, with a dramatic quality that single-motif shades from the same period often lack.
Both lamps survived in matching condition, which is genuinely rare. Most pairs get separated over decades of estate sales and moves, so finding two that still belong together and look consistent is exactly the kind of luck that serious collectors spend years waiting for.
The dragon design also taps into a specific Victorian fascination with mythological imagery and Orientalism that was very much in fashion at the time. Buyers who collect thematically around those ideas are always competing for pieces like this, which keeps prices strong whenever they surface.
18. Pair of Handmade Venetian Murano Glass Pendant Ceiling Lights (Early 20th Century)
Year: Early 20th Century Price: GBP 1,795
Murano glass has its own category in the collector world, and early 20th century examples are harder to source than the modern tourist pieces you find in every Venice gift shop. These pendant lights were made entirely by hand, which you can see in the slight natural variations between the two pieces.
No two handblown Murano pieces come out exactly the same, and that is actually a selling point rather than a flaw. The color, the way light passes through the glass, the organic irregularity of the form — all of that is what separates genuine handmade work from anything a mold can produce.
Selling in GBP from what was likely a European estate, these brought a price that reflects serious demand from decorators and collectors alike. Period Murano ceiling lights do not show up every week, and experienced buyers know to move when they do.
17. Danse De Lumiere — Frosted Cobalt Glass Nude Lamp by McKee (c. 1930)
Year: c. 1930 Price: $3,000
McKee’s Danse De Lumiere line from around 1930 is one of those things that collectors either know really well or have never heard of. Once you see it lit up, it sticks with you. The frosted cobalt glass diffuses light in a way that feels almost atmospheric, nothing like a standard clear glass lamp.
The nude figural form was typical of Art Deco sensibilities, which borrowed heavily from European modernism and were not shy about the human body as a decorative subject. McKee executed it well here, and the cobalt colorway is considerably rarer than the more common clear or amber versions that come up more regularly.
The “Patent Applied” marking on this piece is a useful authentication detail worth checking. Reproductions of this lamp exist, so that stamp combined with condition and provenance matters a great deal when you are spending three thousand dollars on a piece of Depression-era American glass.
16. Tiffany Style N.W. Art Light Shade Company Slag Glass Lamp #39 — Art Deco, 28″
Year: Art Deco Era Price: $3,500
At 28 inches tall, this is a lamp that commands a room rather than sitting quietly on a side table. The N.W. Art Light Shade Company produced solid slag glass work throughout the Art Deco period, and model #39 is one of the more recognized numbers among collectors who specialize in this category.
Slag glass gets its marbled look from the manufacturing process, where molten glass is mixed with mineral slag before being shaped into panels. The result is a shade that glows warmly and unevenly when lit, with no two sections looking exactly the same, giving the finished piece a handcrafted character that machine work cannot replicate.
It draws Tiffany comparisons constantly, which is fair from a design standpoint, though original Tiffany lamps sell for multiples of this price. What you are getting here is genuine period craftsmanship at a fraction of that cost, which is exactly why pieces like this move quickly when they show up.
15. Antique 19th Century French Empire Figural Candelabra 20.5″ Pair (8+ lbs Each)
Year: 19th Century Price: $3,995
French Empire pieces were built to impress, and these candelabra do exactly that. Each one stands 20.5 inches tall and tips the scale at over eight pounds, which tells you immediately that the bronze casting is substantial work rather than hollow decorative production made to look heavier than it is.
The figural design reflects the Empire period’s appetite for classical antiquity, with forms borrowed freely from Roman and Egyptian sources. Napoleon’s designers pushed this aesthetic aggressively, and foundries across France spent decades producing pieces that carried the look into the parlors and dining rooms of the well-to-do across Europe and America.
Finding a matched pair in this condition is the real prize here. Individual candelabra from this period are available if you look, but intact pairs that still belong together and show consistent original patina are genuinely harder to come by, and the final sale price reflects that straightforwardly.
14. Pairpoint Lamp Corp
Year: Early 20th Century Price: $4,450
Pairpoint lamps come up in collector conversations the same way Tiffany and Handel do, and for good reason. The New Bedford, Massachusetts company built a reputation for blown glass shades that were as much painting as they were lighting, featuring rich color and hand-applied decoration that holds up beautifully more than a century later.
What Pairpoint did differently from most competitors was their interior painting technique. Artists worked on the inside surface of the shade, which protected the pigment from dust and wear over time. Well-preserved Pairpoint shades still look vivid today because of that decision, and it shows clearly on quality examples.
Authentication matters quite a bit with Pairpoint since the company’s reputation has attracted fakes over the years. Genuine pieces carry consistent markings, and the glass quality is distinct enough that experienced collectors can usually identify them by sight. At $4,450, this example landed right in the expected range for a verified piece.
13. Handel Reverse Painted Antique Lamp — Arts & Crafts, Bradley Hubbard Pairpoint Era (Jan)
Year: Early 20th Century Price: $4,450
Handel was one of the top producers of reverse-painted glass lamp shades in America, operating out of Meriden, Connecticut from the 1880s through the mid-1930s. The company kept a stable of skilled painters whose work shows up in museum collections about as often as it does at auction, which tells you something about the quality level involved.
Reverse painting means the artist works on the inside surface of the glass, so the image faces outward through the shade material. When the lamp is lit, the whole scene comes alive from behind, creating a depth and warmth that front-painted surfaces simply cannot replicate no matter how well they are executed.
This example sold in January at $4,450, which is a fair price for an authenticated Handel in solid condition. Buyers in the Arts and Crafts lamp market watch Handel listings closely, and competitive bidding on confirmed examples is pretty standard whenever they come to market.
12. Handel Reverse Painted Antique Lamp — Arts & Crafts, Bradley Hubbard Pairpoint Era (Feb)
Year: Early 20th Century Price: $4,850
Another authenticated Handel reverse-painted lamp sold just a few weeks after the January example and pushed slightly higher at $4,850. The difference in price likely comes down to the specific scene painted on the shade, since landscape and detailed floral compositions tend to outperform geometric patterns when Handel collectors are bidding against each other.
Handel shades were individually painted rather than factory reproduced, which means every lamp the company made is technically one of a kind. Collectors look closely at the quality of the brushwork, the richness of the color saturation, and whether the scene composition is something truly strong or just competently executed average work.
Both Handel lamps appearing within weeks of each other is a good reminder that the Arts and Crafts lighting market stays active year round. Dealers and private collectors move quickly on verified examples because supply is finite, and demand from decorators and specialists does not slow down between seasons.
11. 1901 Raoul Larche “Loie Fuller” Lamp — Art Nouveau, Dance of The Lily (16.5″)
Year: 1901 Price: $5,319.96
Raoul Larche was among the most gifted sculptors working in Paris at the turn of the 20th century, and the Loie Fuller lamp is probably his most recognized piece. Fuller herself was a sensation, an American dancer who made Paris fall in love with her silk-and-light performances throughout the 1890s and beyond.
Larche captured her in mid-dance, with her flowing robes becoming the lamp shade itself. The gilded bronze fabric catches and diffuses light in a way that mirrors what audiences experienced on stage, which is either a very happy accident or the work of someone who thought carefully about exactly what he was making and why.
At 16.5 inches and dated to 1901, this is a documented period example rather than one of the later reproductions that the iconic design eventually inspired. Pieces like this do not stay available long once they hit the open market, and $5,319.96 is a competitive but fair price for the real thing.
10. The Fisherman Oil Rain Lamp
Year: 1970s Price: $3,000
Oil rain lamp the fisherman The #1 Rarest oil rain lamp in the world (Source: eBay)
Technically this one falls outside the 100-year antique threshold, but exceptions get made for pieces this unusual. The Fisherman Oil Rain Lamp is part of the Steele Collection, featuring a detailed fisherman figurine that actually rocks back and forth as if working a line, with a child figure sitting beside him on the riverbank.
When the lamp is lit, both figures glow warmly through the oil-filled base. The rain effect comes from mineral oil cascading down fine internal filaments inside the dome, which creates a surprisingly convincing illusion of falling water that catches the eye in a way static lamps simply cannot match.
Rain lamps were a novelty category that peaked in the 1970s, and most designs were fairly generic in both concept and execution. The Fisherman version stands apart because of the mechanical movement and the storytelling in the scene, which is why it consistently pulls three thousand dollars despite not meeting the standard antique definition.
9. Sukunda-Newaru Bronze Lamp
Year: c. the late 1600s to early 1700s Price: $3,500
Sukunda-Newaru Bronze Lamp (Source: Etsy)
This Nepalese lamp comes out of the Sukunda-Newari tradition, and it carries cultural weight that goes well beyond its age. The skull heads ringing the perimeter are not decoration for decoration’s sake. They connect directly to religious iconography tied to Lord Ganesha, the Hindu deity associated with prosperity and well-being in Nepalese tradition.
The form is jug-like, which is practical rather than purely ornamental. You pour oil into the body and the extended mouth holds the wick in place for the fire. It is a working lamp first, and the careful craftsmanship built around that functional core is what elevates it into something collectors actively seek out.
Dating to the late 1600s or early 1700s, this lamp has been in use or careful safekeeping for roughly three centuries. Pieces from the Newar culture of Nepal are not common on the Western antique market, which makes this a genuinely unusual find at a price that reflects both its rarity and its history.
8. Aladdin Swan Oil Lamp
Year: 1800s Price: $4,200
Aladdin Swan Oil Lamp (Source: Etsy)
Stone carving is unforgiving work, and this lamp makes that clear from the first look. The swan’s long neck forms the handle, which is an elegant solution that keeps the piece looking unified rather than like a bird figure stuck onto a lamp body as an afterthought by someone who ran out of better ideas.
The Zeus head on the opposite end adds mythological layering that is unusual even by Victorian decorative standards. Greek and Egyptian motifs often appeared together during this period, but combining them on the same lamp alongside a serpent coiling around the base is genuinely ambitious work from whoever was responsible for carving it.
Stone oil lamps from the 1800s with this level of intact detail are not common finds. Most carved stone pieces from the era show significant wear or are fragmentary, and finding one with both the swan handle and the Zeus head surviving cleanly at this price is the kind of thing serious collectors move on quickly.
7. Sinumbra Boston Sandwich Oil Lamp
Year: 1850 – 1899 Price: $4,250
Sinumbra Boston Sandwich Oil Lamp (Source: eBay)
The Boston and Sandwich Glass Company was one of the most important American glassmakers of the 19th century, and their oil lamp production reflected the same quality standards that made their pressed glass tableware famous among collectors. A Sandwich lamp with its original overlay cut glass still intact is a genuine prize on the market.
The Sinumbra design was a specific lamp style that positioned the oil reservoir in a ring around the burner, which eliminated the shadow that central-font lamps cast directly below. The name comes from the Latin meaning “without shadow,” and the design was popular in well-appointed American homes from the 1830s through the 1860s.
The marble base on this example adds both visual weight and period authenticity. Marble bases were a common and expected pairing with high-quality glass fonts during this era, and a lamp that still has its original base rather than a later replacement is worth considerably more than one that has been pieced together from mixed sources.
6. PRUSS Miners Lamp
Year: 1800 Price: $4,499
PRUSS Miners Lamp (Source: Etsy)
Mining lamps are their own category within antique oil lamp collecting, and German-made examples from the early 1800s are particularly sought after. PRUSS made this iron cast lamp specifically for miners working the Peruvian gold mines, and the construction reflects that demanding underground use case in every detail of how it was put together.
The hanger built into the design was functional rather than decorative. Miners needed both hands free while working, so a lamp that could be suspended from a beam or bracket was far more practical than anything requiring a flat surface. That utilitarian logic is visible in every part of how this lamp was designed and manufactured.
The Betty classification of this lamp is worth noting for buyers. Betty lamps recycled excess oil back into the reservoir rather than losing it to spillage, which was a meaningful improvement over earlier cruise lamp designs. Underground, where oil resupply was not easy or quick, that efficiency advantage mattered considerably to the people using them.
5. French Empire Chandelier
Year: 1800s Price: $5,030
French Empire Chandelier (Source: Etsy)
Six-arm chandeliers in original patinated bronze from the French Empire period are not the kind of thing you stumble across at a weekend flea market. The classic 19th century patina on this piece is the real deal, the kind of aged finish that takes a century to develop and that no modern reproduction can convincingly fake.
While the extended candleholders use intricate gilt bronzes to decorate roses and stalks, the lamp holder at the center is a simple top-like ornament that keeps the overall design from feeling too busy. That restraint in the central element is actually good design thinking for the era, and it works.
The combination of scale, material quality, and the historical moment this piece represents, right at the edge of the electric lighting era, is what justifies a price north of five thousand dollars. You can tell this oil lamp was one of the predecessors of modern electricity as we know it today.
4. Dresden Porcelain Oil Lamp
Year: 1880 Price: $5,150
Dresden Porcelain Oil Lamp (Source: eBay)
Dresden and Meissen porcelain from the Victorian period holds its value for good reasons, and this oil lamp earns its place on the list on material quality alone. The hand-painted floral and insect decoration is precisely the kind of detailed work that defined the best German porcelain production coming out of the 1880s.
The Gone with the Wind collection name came later, popularized by the 1940 film, but the lamps themselves predate that association by decades. American importers leaned into the Southern nostalgia angle because it sold well, and the branding stuck even though the design origins are entirely German in character and craft tradition.
The 10-inch oil holder is one of the practical features collectors mention most about this lamp. Capacity matters when you are actually using the piece rather than just displaying it, and a larger font means longer burn times between refills. That combination of fine decoration and genuine function is exactly what drives the price above five thousand dollars.
3. LONGWY Ormolu Oil Lamp
Year: 1850 Price: $6,700
LONGWY Ormolu Oil Lamp (Source: eBay)
LONGWY porcelain is recognizable the moment you see it. The thick, cloisonné-style enamel work with its bold geometric patterning is unlike anything else produced in 19th century Europe, and the Ormolu brass shade on this lamp pairs that signature visual style with metalwork that is equally refined in its own right.
The sphinx base is the detail that separates this lamp from a standard LONGWY decorative piece. Sphinx imagery was a recurring element in Victorian Orientalist and early Art Deco design, appearing on furniture, clocks, and lighting fixtures as a symbol of mystery and ancient authority. Finding it on a LONGWY lamp is genuinely unusual and adds real collector interest.
Free-standing lamps in this configuration were made to be centerpieces rather than background objects in a room. The combination of porcelain, brass, and a figural sculptural base makes this a lamp that works simultaneously as a functional object and a piece of decorative art, which is why the collector market puts it above six thousand dollars.
2. Blue Dragon
Year: 1860 Price: $9,500
Stunning Antique Blue Dragon Huge Gone With Wind Oil Lamp C1860 (Source: eBay)
Gone with the Wind lamps with globe chimneys are a known quantity in the American antique market, but the Blue Dragon is something a bit different. The Rococo base and Art Nouveau detailing push this one past the standard GWTW style into territory that feels more considered and more European in its original design influences.
Blue was a difficult color to produce consistently in mid-19th century glass, which is part of why blue examples tend to command higher prices than clear or amber versions of comparable designs. The dragon motif rendered in deep blue glass has a dramatic visual effect that other colors simply do not replicate with the same impact.
Made around 1860 and intended specifically for the American market, this lamp arrived when decorative oil lighting was at its peak before gas and electric alternatives started pushing it aside. Lamps made during that window combine genuine practical function with decorative ambition that later production pieces often lack by comparison.
1. Dragonfly Oil Lamp
Year: 1880s Price: $11,869.34
Dragonfly Oil Lamp (Source: Etsy)
Stained glass dragonfly work from the 1880s sits at an interesting overlap between the Arts and Crafts movement and early Art Nouveau, and this lamp reflects both of those influences clearly. The chimney lid alone is enough to put it in a different category from most oil lamps that come out of this period.
The mosaic lower body is the kind of detail that moves this piece well beyond functional lighting and into something closer to decorative art. Combining a stained glass upper section with a mosaic base and a wound burner is ambitious construction for the era, and the fact that all three elements have survived intact drives the valuation considerably higher.
At just under twelve thousand dollars, this is the most valuable lamp on the list, and the price reflects both the rarity of the design and the condition of the piece. Gone with the Wind style lamps with this level of complexity rarely come to market, and when they do, the serious collectors pay attention fast.aic lower body and wound burner. It’s a Gone with The Wind style oil lamp.
How to Identify Antique Oil Lamps
Because of the appeal antique oil lamps hold amongst collectors, many modern companies make reproductions without the intent to deceive. Regardless, buyers can make mistakes when they don’t know the difference but don’t worry, that’s why you’re here.
Identifying antique oil lamps is relatively easy if you follow these steps.
Check the body
The good thing about evolving techniques is that they let you pinpoint exact production eras. So, examine the perimeter of your antique oil lamp for pre-1920s production signs. They often used partly threaded bolts for fusing important parts.
The joint adhesive is another great identifier because early antique oil lamps used plasters while modern manufacturers used glues. Also, ensure the glass on your antique oil lamp has slight bumps due to the handblown technique used to form the cylinders.
Use the Blacklight Test
Raise your antique oil lamp to a blacklight in a dim-lit room and check for fused glass parts – they won’t glow. Newer models (a.k.a. reproductions) which use glues to fuse parts, however, glow under blacklights, so take note.
Identification by Burner
Prong Burner – This burner is a four-pronged design to secure the chimney.
Coronet Burner – The chimney sits on a crown-shaped burner hence the name coronet.
Whale Oil Burner – Dual long tubes hold a wick down into a reservoir that holds the oil. Then the whale oil melts from the wick’s heat.
If you want to learn more about burners, I highly recommend that you check out the burners from the 1840’s onwards here
Identification by Maker
Using a maker’s mark is the most reliable identification source on the antique oil lamp because it answers most of your questions. By assessing the brand’s evolution timeline, you can tell the age and authenticity.
How long did the company exist? How many logos did it use during its existence? What lamp styles did it design per era? Ask yourself those questions.
Turn your antique oil lamp upside down and check for the wick wound button. You’d see a stamp on it identifying the maker. Aladdin, Rochester Lamp Co., Beacon Light, and Erich & Graetz are notable names.
Aladdin and Rochester Lamp Co. marked their lamps with their full name spelled out, Beacon Light wrote its name in block letters surrounded by a circle, and Erich & Graetz used two dragons facing themselves.
Identification by Patent Numbers and Dates
Makers typically inscribed patent numbers on their lamp winders, burners, and lamp bases. Crosschecking with a database is another accurate way to determine the authenticity of an antique oil lamp.
How to tell How Old an Antique Oil Lamps Is?
Once you’ve determined the authenticity of your antique oil lamp, the next step is determining its age to avoid mistagging a vintage as an antique. Remember, it’s only an antique if it’s 100 years old. A few factors can help you place the year of production and brand.
Identification by Style
Here’s how to decipher the age of an antique lamp by simply taking a look at the style adopted.
Handle Antique Oil Lamps
Think of the genie lamp from Aladdin, and you’ll have a mental picture of what a handle antique lamp looks like. It’s sleek with a tiny loop wide enough to accommodate a finger for convenient carriage around the home.
Hanging Antique Oil Lamps
For a more picturesque setting, manufacturers made oil lamps with hanging loops. Owners could place them on the wall without stressing over carriage around the rooms.
Wall Antique Oil Lamps
After the success of the hanging antique oil lamps, the idea of leaving them permanently on the walls became more appealing. Wall antique oil lamps shone by reflecting light from the wall.
Identification by Type
There are different types of antique lamps. Here’s how to figure out the age by the type.
Astral Antique Oil Lamp
The 1830s Astral Antique Oil Lamp got its name from the suspended air holes around its base using an Argand burner to catch excess oil trickles.
Banquet Lamp
The double globe style lamps with hand-painted motifs originated in the USA in the 1880s. However, it became popular after the 1940 blockbusterGone With The Windhence its nickname.
Banquet lamps combined multiple patterns and materials into one detachable masterpiece. The parts of a banquet lamp include A fount, Vase, Decorative stem, and Chimney.
Cruise Antique Oil Lamp
This oil lamp soaked up more oil than it could consume, causing the makers to fit in secondary reservoirs on the lamps to catch the excess liquid. Since they couldn’t continue with that flawed technique, they upgraded to the Betty Lamps.
Betty Antique Oil Lamp
Homemakers who couldn’t afford to waste precious oil like the Cruise Lamp appreciated the Betty Lamp because it converted the excess into reusable oils. Instead of disposing of the spillage, the lamps incorporated covers to reduce the burns from the wick.
Central Draft Oil Lamp
By the late 1700s (1780 precisely), manufacturers narrowed the lid into a chimney to allow airflow for brighter lights since the Betty Lamps were dimly lit. They adapted this technique based on the invention of Swiss alchemist Aime Argand.
This era brought controlled burners to regulate light intensity based on preference.
Painted Bulbs
The Art Deco and Art Nouveau characteristics of items in the late 19th century spilling over the early Victorian era before the First World War influenced the antique oil lamp market. Artisans started making painted bulbs to reflect fancy-colored lights like the Kerosene lamp.
Eventually, technology evolved into gas lighting and electric lightning (1950), pushing oil lamps to the background. Before then, however, the antique oil lamp makers fought to maintain relevance in the fast-evolving market by adopting modern designs.
You can check out Antique Lamp Supply for a more detailed list of the different types of antique oil lamps.
Conclusion
Antique oil lamps are great collectibles to have as décor and backup light sources. However, be careful to choose government-approved oil to avoid compromising your lamp and environment.
You can buy one for at least $25 unless it has special characteristics that hike up its value. Then, you should get ready to shell out thousands of dollars for one antique oil lamp.
Remember these points when you go shopping;
- Antique oil lamps don’t glow under blacklights because they use plaster
- You can find the identification number on the bottom, and
- Antique Oil lamps aren’t the same as kerosene lamps.
FAQs
What does it mean when antique lamps have a number on the bottom?
A:The number on the bottom is for tracking the model of an antique oil lamp per brand. Manufacturers give each era unique numberings to distinguish the designs, and it’s good for identification today. You can easily crosscheck on the company’s database to know if your antique oil lamp is legit or not.
How to Identify Antique Lamps
There are different ways you can identify antique lamps starting with the brand, style, and numbers. Start with the steps laid out in this article, then add new methods as you get familiar with the world of antique oil lamps.
How to find the age of antique lamps
A:You can determine antique lamps’ dates by assessing their style and checking their identification number. See the tips above for pointers.
How much are Antique Oil Lamps Worth?
A:Antique oil lamps don’t cost much, as you can get a decent one for a little over $25. If you’re looking for something more valuable, however, that’ll set you back hundreds of dollars because of their high-quality materials and other appreciating factors, which you’ll learn below.
Where to sell antique lamps
A:You can sell antique lamps on any reputable auction site online like Etsy and eBay. You can also bid at auction houses and estate sales.
