During the late 19th and early 20th century houses were lit with candles or oil lamps. The lamps would come in all grades from a cheap utility metal lamp, to elaborate silver or gilt lamp with ornate cut and painted globular shades.
 
This Victorian  oil lamp has a clear glass reservoir for the lamp oil, a brass wick-holder and a clear glass chimney, on a clear glass stem and foot.   The stem contains a clear air twist, a design popularised by the Jacobeans, The air twists in the stem are created by making four pin pricks allowing in air, then the stems are twisted during manufacture to create a delicate 'air twist design within the stem. The clear glass foot has an unpolished pontil, typical of early victorian glassware. 
 
This lamp would have been found in a household of moderate means.  
 
There are a couple of brass prongs missing which pinch around the chimey to hold it in place, the chimney still sits well in the lamp. The chimney is a later replacement.   Other than this the condition is good.  
 
Dimensions: 53cm high x 15cm diameter base