Old Lamp Values        An Online Guide to Antique Lamps

Kerosene Lamps

By far the most common type of old lamp, kerosene lamps were used across America from the 1860s until the 1930s. Kerosene, an inexpensive and reliable fuel source, became widely available after the discovery of the first oil well in Pennsylvania in 1859.

Kerosene lamps were produced in a greater variety of styles than other types of fluid lamps. However, every kerosene lamp has a reservoir to hold the kerosene (called a font in a lamp) though its shape will sometimes vary. Most kerosene lamps have a font shaped like a sphere, located just under the burner.

The abundance of kerosene lamps available at antique malls and stores ensure that most very nice kerosene lamps sell for under a hundred dollars. Unusual colors, shapes, or pairs of kerosene lamps tend to be more expensive.  Wiring a kerosene lamp for electricity does not negatively affect its value as long as the wiring is done by a professional and the original burners are retained.

If you have a kerosene lamp you would like to know more about, send us an email with a picture of it and we’d be happy to give you our opinion and make a purchase offer.

If you aren’t sure what kind of old lamp you have, ask us about it! We’re always happy tell our customers more about their old lamps.

Here are some frequently asked questions about kerosene lamps:

Where can I sell my kerosene lamp?

How much is a kerosene lamp worth?

Is my kerosene lamp a reproduction?

Also see:  Fluid Lamps, Whale Oil Lamps, Burning Fluid Lamps, Gone with the Wind Lamps