Miner’s Carbide Lamp
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
Usage conditions apply
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp was made by the Maple City Manufacturing Company of Monmouth, Illinois around 1901-1917. Acetylene gas is produced when water from the lamp's upper level encounters the calcium carbide stored in the base via a dripping mechanism. The amount of water flowing into the calcium carbide container can be controlled, with more water producing more gas and a bigger flame when the lamp is lit. The lamp would then be worn on a miner’s cap, with the reflector granting a much strong light than previous lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- lamp, carbide, cap, mining
- mining lamp
- Measurements
- overall: 3 3/4 in x 2 1/4 in x 3 1/4 in; 9.525 cm x 5.715 cm x 8.255 cm
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788E
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788E
- accession number
- 265669
- Credit Line
- Board of Trustees of Lafayette College
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Mining
- Mining Lamps
- Work
- Industry & Manufacturing
- Natural Resources
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.
