Miner’s Safety Lamp

Miner’s Safety Lamp

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Description (Brief)
This safety lamp was manufactured by the American Safety Lamp and Mine Supply Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania in the latter half of the 19th century. This Clanny style safety lamp employs a wire gauze and a glass globe surrounding the wick to protect the flame. Safety lamps were invented in the early 19th century, and are used to this day for gas detection, even as mine lighting has been replaced by electric lights.
Object Name
lamp, safety, mining
mining lamp
Measurements
overall: 14 in x 4 1/2 in x 4 in; 35.56 cm x 11.43 cm x 10.16 cm
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8763A
catalog number
MHI-MN-8763A
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
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Comments

"I am a former Western Pa. coal miner (1976 -1993) and used a flame safety lamp many times. When a coworker, at my present employ, found out that I was a former miner he asked me if I could tell him anything about the 2 mine lamps he had from his grandfather. One lamp looked very similar to what I used in the mine and it was dated 1937. The other one was identical to the one on this page, ID # AG*MHI-MN-8763A. All we want to know is the time period this lamp was used"

Gerald Claycomb

Fri, 2016-02-12 22:11

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