Specialty Lamps: A Brief History of Delight - LampsGalore.com

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Specialty Lamps: A Brief History of Delight

Oil Lamps
Prehistoric in their origin, oil lamps are the most ancient form of lighting aside from the torch. Hundreds of hollowed-out stones with remnants of oils, fat, and wicks have been found on numerous archaeological sites dating as far back as 15,000 BC. How's that for staying power? Since the days of caves, oil lamps have found their way into lighthouses, street lamps, and desktops around the world. Today, oil lamps are mainly decorative or ceremonial, and are used in place of or in addition to candles.

Lava Lamps
"If you buy my lamp, you won't need drugs," Edward C. Walker, inventor of the lava lamp, proclaimed upon releasing his invention to the public in 1963. Walker, a military man in the RAF by trade, invented the lava lamp in his backyard after seeing an egg timer that used a combination of wax and water. Amidst the psychedelic movement in the '60s, lava lamps were a must-have for what seemed like every youth in America. Walker's combination of oil, wax, and water is still used today, as lava lamps continue to delight.

Fiber-Optic Lamps and Others
If lava lamps remind us of free-flowing primordial ooze, then fiber-optic lamps conjure up images of incandescent sea creatures. Used widely in the telecommunications industry, fiber optics have made their way into our homes. While the kitschy ever-changing fiber-optic lamp ball is still enormously popular, designers have started to take a closer look at the possibilities of fiber-optic lamps, using sprays of white light to accent corners of rooms. Other popular choices for accents are picture lights, which can draw attention to artwork or other wall hangings, or piano lamps used to light up the music on the page.