Many 18th-century lamps used oil to get light. If whale oil was not available, the lamps could use olive oil. The oil was kept in a reservoir, usually metal, that had three or four burners with wicks.

Few people stayed up at night in the years before 1800 because there were so few sources of light. An open fire, a candle or a rush dipped in oil could be lit. Then whale-oil lamps became popular.

Many 18th-century lamps used oil to get light. If whale oil was not available, the lamps could use olive oil. The oil was kept in a reservoir, usually metal, that had three or four burners with wicks.

When Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb, the most common lamp was fueled by whale oil. The light bulb took off like a skyrocket and soon the whale oil lamps were nothing but a novelty.

Energy experts predict that the global production of oil will soon start to decline, what’s referred to as peak oil. Now while we may not be there yet, there was a time in our history when we did ...

A safe tin to hold candle sticks to keep them from breaking and being eaten by mice. The piece is part of a exhibit called Out of the Darkness, A History of Illumination in Hatfield curated by Meguey ...