Did you know that the first kerosene lamp was invented by pharmacists from one of the pharmacies in Lviv - Ignat Lukasevich and Jan Zekh?
Until the middle of the 19th century, oil lamps “dominated” in lighting. Their designs became more complicated, increasing the burning area. But to reduce the formation of deposits and increase the brightness, kerosene helped.
The first kerosene lamps appeared in 1853. Their authorship belonged to the pharmacists of the Lviv pharmacy of Petr Mikolyash "Under the Golden Star" Ignaty Lukasevich and Jan Zech.
The first experiments with kerosene lamps led to powerful explosions in the laboratory. The way out was found thanks to the invention of the device for regulating the wick and the glass envelope. Lamps became safer and worked without soot. The first kerosene lamps were similar to oil lamps, but had a larger tank made of thick tin and the upper part made of mica.
Publicly, the invention of pharmacists "lit up" on March 30, 1853 in the Lviv pharmacy "Under the Golden Star". A few months later, the surgeon of the Lviv hospital Zagorsky performed the first emergency night operation, thanks to kerosene lamps that illuminated the operating table.
Somewhat later, a kerosene lamp was presented at the international exhibition in Munich: the invention was noted with a special diploma. But the widespread use of kerosene lamps began in Austria. These devices illuminated Vienna railway stations and hospitals. Since 1854, the Northern Austrian Railway has switched to kerosene lamps.
In the wake of the popularity of the new invention, about 50 patents were issued in the United States for numerous devices for the lamp and its improvements. After the launch of kerosene lamps in the United States in mass production, they began to be exported to Europe. So the kerosene lamp filled city houses, rural estates and provincial towns.
The lamp sold on Violiti's website, made in Germany in the 1920s, was one of the fixtures used to light such a house. It gave light, comfort, and a sense of calm, like many other lots from the "Collection kerosene lamps" subsection.
