Since the miraculous advent of electricity, oil lamps have become something of an antique, and it’s understandable. It is not particularly practical to use an antique oil lamp in your home today, not to mention a safety hazard. However, these lamps are still in high demand, but not for the reasons that they once were. Antique oil lamps are now collectibles that can be found in more eBay auctions than you could ever imagine. They are excellent collector’s items and can even be used throughout the home as decoration and for the occasional power outage.
Most people associate antique oil lamps with old western thoughts, which is why they make such interesting accent pieces for rooms geared towards this theme. If you’ve objected to the modern, sterile look of a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and black marble countertops, you might want to give the farmhouse a shot. It can give a much warmer feel and is a perfect place to display the old oil lamps that you have been collecting. Most have handles on the top, so all you need is a hook to screw to the wall and you’re done. Your antique oil lamp has gone from dusty artifact to wall decor!
Antique oil lamps can be a unique and clever way to light up your backyard for a neighborhood gathering at night. Being careful not to place them near anything too flammable, they can be placed all over the backyard. Antique oil lamps will give your guests enough light to see each other, while keeping it dim enough so that they can still see the stars in the night sky. Antique oil lamps can also make an interesting takeoff on a tiki torch. You can find poles that stick to the ground with hooks at the top to hang the lamps.
When collecting antique oil lamps and trying to use them in your decorating scheme, it is essential to think about safety first and protect your family from any possibility of fire. If you have oil lamps to use in the event of a power outage, do not keep them filled with oil or store the ones with oil in a different location. The last thing you want is a freak accident that somehow lights the antique oil lamp mounted above your sink. Aside from this rare possibility, collecting and decorating with antique oil lamps is a way to preserve a bit of history and use it in your daily life.
