Two-Arm Argand Lamp
Datec. 1825 - 1830
MediumBronze and modern frosted and etched glass shades
Dimensions26 1/2 × 17 inches (67.3 × 43.2 cm)
MarkingsMarked on each burner with embossed on brass labels: J & I COX / NEW YORK
Credit LineBequest of Margaret Gray Thomas.
Object numberOT1951.26.a-c
CopyrightThe images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextA cast bronze Argand lamp, with font above two reeded arms extending from a reeded section of the acanthus and foliate column on a tripod base with paw feet.
First patented in 1780 by Aime Argand, a Swiss physicist and chemist, the argand burner was brighter than that of earlier oil lamps. The burner consists of a cylindrical wick housed between two metal tubes providing a passage through which air can be fed directly into the flame resulting in a brighter light. The font or oil reservoir is positioned above or beside the burner, with air holes surrounding it, to allow more air to pass through to the flame. Argand lamps were manufactured in a great variety of decorative forms and quickly became popular in America.
