Circa 1855-60 Rococo Victorian solar style kerosene oil lamp, “Kerosene Oil, Cornelius & Baker, Philadelphia”, patent c1858-9, relief design base of classical crane by waterfall with ancient bearded man on each corner (probably Greek mythology of crane and golden bearded man),
Cornelius & Baker (1845-53 to 1870)
27” tall with tulip shade.
Condition – excellent repolish, missing center draft tube/original fill and wick raiser tube (includes original wick raiser mechanism). I would be interested in any info on the original setup or diagrams. 1263
Cornelius Co development:
mid 1800’s – largest lighting company in world due to innovative patent designs in gas and fluid lighting/solar and argand. Appear to have lost competitive/innovative market with the introduction of kerosene as a lighting fluid.
1831- Father and son start working together 1831, probably beginning after Robert got out of photography (1831-4)
1839- Cornelius Co, Lamps (1839-1845to53) Christian C/1825 & Robert C
1856- Cornelius & Baker (1856-69) Robert and Jr and Isaac Baker 45-53
(1871- Baker, Arnold & Co)
1870- Cornelius & Sons (1870-87) _ William C Baker and John C Cornelius
1887- Cornelius & Hetherington (1887-88)
1888- Cornelius & Rowland (1888-91) George L Rowland
Products:
Solar lamps, Chandeliers, Gas lamp fittings, Statues, brass, gold plated, spelter
Produced Senate & House of Representatives chandeliers which had 2500 burners that light instantaneously.
Cornelius Patents:
Dec 28, 1822 Light house lamp- Christian Cornelius.
Mar 18, 1841 Gas Lamp- Robert Cornelius.
Apr 6, 1843 US3028 lard lamp1, argand burner2, oil feeders3- Robert Cornelius.
Apr 10, 1849 Girandole, C&Co.
Jul 24, 1849 Spiral tube-R Cornelius/Ch Wilhelm to C&B
1855 Kerosene Oil- Robert C (“in 1855 Cornelius designed a lamp to burn kerosene, the newly discovered fuel. At the same time another inventor refitted existing lamps to take kerosene, making Cornelius’ innovation too late to be profitable” – American Enterprise: A History of Business in America, 2015, Andy Serwer, Smithsonian Institute).
Lamp Burner- Dec 9, 1862.