Presented for your consideration is a remarkable mid-19th-century hand-blown sparking lamp. This piece features a spherical "globular" reservoir atop a double-baluster stem with an applied loop handle. The lamp is a classic example of early American "free-blown" glass, characterized by visible "seeds" (tiny air bubbles) within the glass and a distinctive rough snap-case pontil mark on the underside of the base.

The lamp is equipped with a cork and tin drop-in burner with a single wick tube. While often mistaken for a lacemaker’s water lens, the integrated reservoir and burner assembly identify this as a portable sparking lamp, used for brief tasks or as a nursery light. The glass has a beautiful, slight straw-tint common to early flint glass.

• Height: 9.5" (with burner)

• Base Diameter: 3.5"

• Weight: 1 lb 2 oz

Origin United States (Likely New England or Mid-Atlantic glass house).

Age: Circa 1835–1855.

Material: Hand-blown flint glass; tin and natural cork burner.

Condition: Excellent Antique Condition. The glass remains clear with no cracks or significant bruising. The applied handle is secure with a clean terminal. The base shows appropriate shelf wear for its age. The rough pontil is intact. The cork on the burner shows expected drying and age-related compression but remains functional for display.

Scholarly Reference for Provenance

To verify this style of lighting and burner:

• Book Title: Oil Lamps: The Antique Collector's Guide

• Author: Catherine M.V. Thuro

• Page Number: Page 46 (Reference to "Free-Blown and Molded Whale Oil Lamps" and the use of cork-disk burners).