Argand lamp

The richly cut shades of this argand lamp once radiated a glittering display of light within a fashionable home. Invented in the late 18th century by a Swiss chemist named Ami Argand, the argand lamp was a major advancement in the technology of lighting. Using whale oil for fuel, such lamps produced an enormous amount of light compared to candles. Although some argands were made in the United States by the early 19th century, most, including these examples, were imported from England.