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One of the "oldest" pieces of technology that I own that still gets used on a regular basis is this Cobalt Blue Aladdin Lincoln Drape lamp. While this is a modern unit with a Type 23 burner, it's essentially the same thing that Aladdin has been making for the last 100 years.

This one still has a Thorium-232 mantle and burns kerosene. It has the output of about a 60W electric lamp. It draws air in through the base of the burner and drags it up through a thimble in the center of the burner to bring the temperature of the flame to a point where it makes the thorium incandesce. Newer mantles use yttrium and don't glow as nicely.

This will burn for about 12 hours on a quart of kerosene.

One of the "oldest" pieces of technology that I own that still gets used on a regular basis is this Cobalt Blue Aladdin Lincoln Drape lamp. While this is a modern unit with a Type 23 burner, it's essentially the same thing that Aladdin has been making for the last 100 years. This one still has a Thorium-232 mantle and burns kerosene. It has the output of about a 60W electric lamp. It draws air in through the base of the burner and drags it up through a thimble in the center of the burner to bring the temperature of the flame to a point where it makes the thorium incandesce. Newer mantles use yttrium and don't glow as nicely. This will burn for about 12 hours on a quart of kerosene.

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[–] • 1 pt

I love how old stuff like this lamp is just as much art as function.

I have a cheap kerosene lamp in my emergency supplies (have a kerosene heater too so made sense), but it isn't anything pretty like this.

[–] • 1 pt

Those cheapies work well enough. If you don't mind lots of blue shirt niggers, you can pick up some extra wick at Lehman's in Kidron.

[–] • 1 pt

Looks like an interesting store.

[–] • 1 pt

The price on Mantle Lamps has gone through the roof, I see. If you want one, I see them all the time at flea markets. Look for one that has a burner with a small knurled wick raiser knob (Model C) or an octagonal wick raiser knob (Model 23.) Those will be the most useful without replacing a burner. The last one I purchased was a pre-war green glass model for under a bill.

I don't have any experience with the current Max-Brite burners.

[–] • 1 pt

They went really tourist-y some years ago, but it still serves the local goatroper community. They have a decent selection of no-electric goods.