Lanternist's lamp. Oxy ether saturator and jet combination to burn lime
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1890 - 1900
Materials
Brass
Measurements
135 x 210 x 110 mm
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1525193
Summary
Lanternist's lamp. Oxy ether saturator and jet combination to burn lime. This comprises a solid brass base with three adjustable bolt feet. There is a cylinder with a filler cap built in over the base which appears to be the container for the ether. Oxygen is introduced from a bag via the pipe between two knurled knob flow controls on the pipes connecting to the cylinder and this mixes with the ether in the saturator. Between the inlet pipes there are knurled controls which connect to the lime holder.This allows infinite adjustment of the lime in relation to the burner nozzle. The internal control moves the lime around and up and down and the external control moves the lime holder towards and away from the burner jet To the front of the cylinder is the outlet pipe to the burner jet through which flow is also controlled by a knurled knob screw. There is also a further pipe to the burner under the base plate direct from the oxygen intake. There is another knurled screw at the front of the base which has no discernible purpose. This saturator incorporates saturator generator and jet in one unit for use inside the lantern. The Oxy-ether saturator enjoyed a brief period of popularity though some contemporary sources said it was a very dangerous lamp. However most agreed that it was also convenient, because it required no fuel gas but only oxygen in a gasbag or cylinder. The purpose of the saturator was to mix the fumes of ether (benzoline) with oxygen to form a highly combustible mixture which was burnt at the nozzle of the limelight, thus producing a very powerful light suitable for small halls and homes.
Provenance
Part of the Fenton Collection. A gift from British Film Institute in 2017. From 1986-1999, part of BFI collection for the Museum of the Moving Image. BFI purchased collection in 1986 from James Fenton's Museum of Photography, Port Erin, Isle of Man 1976-1986