256 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



July. 1 9 13 



the second story floor from 

 the entrance. On one side of 

 the staircase were suspended 

 from the ceiling, one or 

 more lanterns, many of 

 which were very elaborate. 

 They were often designed 

 with richly colored cathedral 

 glass panels, set in frames 

 of gilt or bronze. Candles 

 were used at first for light- 

 ing these, but after 1774 

 whale oil lamps of peculiar 

 shape were inserted into the 

 lanterns. These lamps were 

 sometimes made of glass, 

 but more often were of tin 

 or copper and had two 

 burners to carry the wicks. 

 In addition to this means of 

 lighting, beside the -stair- 

 case were placed "mural 

 sconces" or "prongs" with 

 three or four branches and 

 holding candles. 



This style of lantern was 

 used only among the wealth- 

 ier classes. John Hancock 

 had one in his entry, and at 

 Mt. Vernon was another, 

 which may be seen to-day in 

 the National Museum at 

 Washington, while Peter 

 Fanueil speaks of others of 

 this type in an inventory in 

 1742. 



The common perfor- 

 ated, or pinched lantern, 



Hall Lantern. Date, 1 798 



which did yeoman service both in this country and in Eng- 

 land for more than two hundred years preceding the nine- 

 teenth century, is one of the most interesting styles. 

 Candles only were used in these lanterns, and their feeble 



light shone out through in- 

 numerable apertures punched 

 in the tin from the inner 

 side. This was to turn the 

 edges outward and make the 

 lantern designs more deco- 

 rative. Often the holes 

 were arranged in fanciful 

 patterns, scrolls, crescents, 

 stars, or interlaced triangles. 

 One can easily imagine one 

 of our forefathers treading 

 the darksome way to even- 

 ing service or special town 

 meeting, with such a lantern 

 in his hand. 



As late as 1798 we find 

 that these old lanterns were 

 still used in the country dis- 

 tricts near New York, where 

 the darkness and bad roads 

 made them a necessity. To- 

 day, however, unless in some 

 country district, they are 

 rarely seen. 



Harking back to the origin 

 of the lantern, we find that 

 on the fifteenth day of the 

 first month in the Chinese 

 New Year, there is held a 

 "Feast of Lanterns." The 

 streets and houses are decked 

 with hundreds of paper lan- 

 terns of every conceivable 

 shape and gaudy coloring. 

 Some of them are thirty feet 

 in diameter and so con- 

 structed that a whole com- 

 pany of friends can be entertained inside the globe. Cov- 

 ered with silk, and adorned with vivid paintings of birds 

 and flowers, many of them are of great value. 



The picturesque effect of these lanterns can well be im- 



Hand Lantern, 1 780 



Watchman's Lantern, 1 720 



Pinched lantern, 1700 



