Boston and Sandwich Glass Co.
Pair of Burning-Fluid Lamps

Public Domain

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MakerProbably Boston and Sandwich Glass Co.(American, 1826–1888)American, 1826–1888

CultureAmerican

Titles

Pair of Burning-Fluid Lamps

Datec. 1850–1860

Probable placeSandwich, Massachusetts, United States

MediumGlass, brass, and pewter

DimensionsEach: 11 × 4 1/2 in. diameter (27.9 × 11.4 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase funded by the Jack R. McGregor Endowment

Object numberB.2017.8.1,.2

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Kilroy Center

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

GLASS

DescriptionDeveloped in the 1830s, burning fluid was a highly volatile mixture that burned brightly with little smoke or odor, but that could pose an explosion hazard. It was superseded by kerosene, which was first derived from coal tar, but ultimately from petroleum, after the middle of the century. This rare pair of lamps is notable for the precision of the glass cutting, which creates interesting optical effects.
Provenance[Skinner, Inc., Boston]; puchased by Kathy and Art Green, Newton Centre, Massachusetts; purchased by Joan E. Kaiser, Sandwich, Massachusetts; consigned to [Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, Mt. Crawford, Virginia, "The Joan E. Kaiser Collection of Sandwich and Related Glass," May 20, 2017, lot 32]; purchased by MFAH, 2017.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

[None]

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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