HEATING AND LIGHTING UTENSILS IN NATIONAL MUSEUM 61 



SPOUT LAMPS 



The farthest development of the lamp whose wick was drawn up 

 at the side is seen in the spout lamp. The development of the spout 

 which may be followed in the classes of lamps previously shown 

 must have taken many centuries, yet was not destined to bring forth 

 the modern central wick lamp. The most attractive of the spout 

 lamps and the ones standing highest in art design are the Italian 

 iucerna. The origin of the lucerna appears to be more immediately 

 in the three-spout pottery lamps (pi. 43) and more distantly in 

 the Roman hanging lamps with two wick orifices on the same plate. 

 The ancient lamp stand may be taken as the support of the lucerna. 

 Lucernas are usually of brass, excellently finished. The survival 

 of this old type of lamp into the modern period in Italy is due 

 to their customary use as lights for the dead. Otherwise they are 

 treasured for their art and curio interest. 



The usual lucerna has three spouts, as shown in Plate 56, Figure 

 3, a rather plain specimen, of brass and having the support on which 

 the reservoir and cover slides rising from a roundel section above 

 the base. (Cat. No. 205548, Italy; donor unknown; 22.4 inches (57 

 ■cm.) high.) The four-spout lucerna is also common, but none 

 apparently occur with more than four. Figure 1 is a well-made speci- 

 men of the 4 spout lucerna having a longer roundel stem than usual. 

 (Cat. No. 167025, Madrid, Spain; Walter Hough; 15.7 inches (40 

 cm.) high). A complete four-spout lucerna is shown in Figure 4. 

 From above the reservoir cover depend by chains the objects which 

 should accompany every lucerna, namely, the extinguisher, the 

 pricker for adjusting the wick, and pincers or snuffers. The specimen 

 is of brass, well executed and designed. Cat. No. 168129, Italy; 

 O. Brown Goode; 24.4 inches (62 cm.) high). Another four-spout 

 lucerna is especially interesting on account of its design. On the 

 gracefully bowed handle are perched three Roman eagles, mice 

 clamber over the reservoir as they were accustomed to do in life 

 searching for spilled olive oil, and in the corners of the base swim 

 three geese. The specimen appears to be old, and this is sub- 

 stantiated by the quaint pricker, pincers, and extinguisher. (PI. 56, 

 fig. 5, Cat. No. 130656, Italy; Goldsborough & Co.; 18.9 inches (48 

 cm.) high). Included among the lucernas is a fine specimen of 

 baroque style having two spouts and lobed reservoir, half of the 

 upper section turning back for filling. A figure in classic pose 

 surmounts the lucerna. (Fig. 2, Cat. No. 168133, Italy; G. Brown 

 Goode; 16.4 inches (41.5 cm.) high). A pewter-spout lamp of grace- 

 ful form has a hinged lid over the reservoir, a curved squared spout 

 with a drip catcher encircling the end. The stem is slender vase 

 shape with slender curved handle. (PI. 57, fig. 3, Cat. No. 311710, 

 England; Elizabeth S. Stevens; 9.8 inches (25 cm.) high). 



