General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

WOOD HANDLE/ FERROUS-METAL TUBES/ NON FERROUS-METAL SLIDE HANDLE

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

78.5 cm

Width

7.0 cm

Height

3.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Lighting Technology

Category

Lighting accessories

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

CIRCA 1890-1925

Canada

TYPE OF TORCH & KEY LIGHTER USED IN URBAN CANADIAN HOUSEHOLDS IN SECOND HALF OF 19TH CENTURY./ FROM COLLECTION OF CONSUMERS' GAS OF TORONTO, INCORPORATED IN 1848 TO SUPPLY GAS LIGHTING TO CITY OF TORONTO. IN FACE OF INCREASING COMPETITION WITH & EVENTUAL REPLACEMENT BY ELECTRIC LIGHTING, CG BEGAN SUPPLYING GAS AS FUEL FOR DOMESTIC APPLIANCES & LATER FOR HEATING.

Function

DEVICE USED BY GAS LAMPLIGHTER TO TURN KEY TO TURN GAS ON & OFF, WITH SLIDING TAPER IN TUBE USED TO LIGHT GAS. THIS TYPE WAS USED FOR LIGHTING OF DOMESTIC GAS LIGHT FIXTURES.

Technical

DIFFERENT PATENTS WERE ISSUED APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS CHANDELIERS WITH ELECTRIC SPARKS. EVENTUALLY, GAS SWITCHES WERE PUT ON MARKET TO COMPETE WITH ELECTRICITY. SEE VERY SIMILAR TAPER SLIDE IN MITCHELL, VANCE & CO. "PICTURE BOOK OF AUTHENTIC MID-VICTORIAN GAS LIGHTING FIXTURES" (REPRINT OF 1876 CATALOGUE), 1984, P. 3

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

NONE

Missing

CANDLE

Finish

NATURAL WOOD, POSSIBLY COATED. GOLD COLOURED PARTS/ BLACK? TUBE & KEYS

Decoration

TURNED WOOD HANDLE/ CAST DESIGN OF CIRCLES & RAISED DOTS ON KEY