Miner's Safety Lamp
Miner's Safety Lamp
Usage conditions apply
- Description (Brief)
- This “safety” mining lamp was manufactured by the Hughes Brothers in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the late 19th century. Encasing the flame in glass or metal gauze prevented combustible mine gases (called firedamp) from exploding, as would happen with the open flames of carbide or oil-wick lamps. Miners referred to combustible mine gases as “damp” (blackdamp, afterdamp, and stink damp) from the German “dampf” meaning vapor, or fume.
- Object Name
- lamp, safety, mining
- mining lamp
- Measurements
- overall: 12 in x 3 1/4 in x 3 in; 30.48 cm x 8.255 cm x 7.62 cm
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-7723
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7723
- accession number
- 235039
- Credit Line
- Laird Albasin
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Mining
- Mining Lamps
- Work
- Industry & Manufacturing
- Natural Resources
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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