Oil Lamp Holder

Deungjandae, also called deungdae or deunggyeong, is a tool designed to mount a lamp at an appropriate height. A lampstand is one of the most widely used lighting equipment, and is classified into two types: one with a grooved pillar protruding from one corner of the mount to allow a lamp rack to be secured; and a candlestick-like one with a pillar and a mount, and a saucer placed on top of the pillar to allow a lamp to be secured on top. Depending on the purpose, its size could vary from a low height to over 1.2 m. The mount has a groove on which lighting tools such as flints or matches are placed, along with a sill to hold a tobacco pipe or ashes shaken out of a pipe. Lampstands were mostly made of wood, but some were made of bronze, iron, brass, and pottery. The lampstand shown here is made of wood, and its octagonal mount and double-grooved pillar are connected in a mortise and tenon joint. The height of the lamp rack is adjustable, and at the end of the rack are two pointed spikes on which a bullhorn oil catcher is hung. The spikes are also used to prop up the oil saucer.