Images(15)

Lantern

Date1820-1850

OriginAmerica, Northeast

MediumTinned sheet iron; iron wire; horn; paint

DimensionsOverall: 13 1/4 x 7 x 5 1/4in. (33.7 x 17.8 x 13.3cm)

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Foster McCarl Jr.

Object number1982.808.1

DescriptionTinned sheet iron lantern: Flat circular base supports cylindrical body with tapered conical top. Strap handle capped with short tubular candle socket opposite hinged rectangular door with horn panel and scrolled hasp. Upper portion of conical top terminates in circular opening covered by free-standing, low domed disk attached by two vertical tabs secured with wire. Circular hanging ring affixed to disk by wire loops. Short tubular candle socket is soldered to the interior base of the lantern. Sides and top of lantern decoratively pierced with stylized faces, dots, and dashes. Lantern exterior later coated with lead red paint; numerous drips of paint visible on the (unpainted) interior and on horn panel of door.
Label TextLit by a candle from within, the pierced faces on this lantern glow with both sleepy and alert expressions. The lantern originally looked very different, however. Its tinned sheet iron surface was bright and shiny when new, reflecting and magnifying light. A coat of red lead paint was later applied to the exterior of the lantern—probably to cover scratches in the tin coating. The interior was left unpainted aside from unintentional drips through the pierced patterns. Over time, the painted and tinned metal surfaces both inside and out have oxidized, creating the rich brownish black color seen today.

The motifs that ornament this lantern are also functional, providing an air source for the flame inside. The decorative piercing was first created on flat sheets of tinned iron, which were then formed into the cylindrical sides and conical top. The lantern was also designed for double duty: it could be hung from the top ring or carried by the handle. Lanterns were commonly used outdoors, but the short tubular candle holder atop the handle of this example made it useful indoors, too.

ProvenanceGift of Mr. and Mrs. Foster McCarl, Jr., Beaver Falls, Pa.