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1860 Sheet Iron Tin Night Fishing Lantern MaineFarmFind
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1860 Sheet Iron Tin Night Fishing Lantern MaineFarmFind
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Antique handmade cut, bent and soldered sheet iron tin night fishing lantern with it's original tin burners, cotton wicks, tin kerosene filling hole (lacking cork), tin boat pole mount and large curved tin light block in very good original working condition and retaining it's original old dry, oxidized and lightly usage soiled surface, as found. Maine , 1860's. Guaranteed old and original; this is not a fake or reproduction. Actual weight 3 lbs. 10 1/2" tall by 19 1/2" wide by 9 ½" long. Antique handmade cut, bent and soldered sheet iron tin night fishing lantern with it's original tin burners, cotton wicks, tin kerosene filling hole (lacking cork), tin boat pole mount and large curved tin light block in very good original working condition and retaining it's original old dry, oxidized and lightly usage soiled surface, as found. As a New England lighting device these night fishing lanterns are very scarce. One only encounters a serious lantern like this in a true rural New England farm setting, particularly one near numerous small open ponds and lakes. Simply explained, this lantern fitted on to a short pole at the bow of a small row boat or canoe. Lighted after dark on a pond or lake, the boat or canoe was sculled or paddled slowly and quietly by one man (or boy) in the back while a second stood (usually) or kneeled at the bow behind the lantern with an eel spear type point barbed iron in the end of a pole. (see Sidney Mount's famous but daylight view of this pose is his "ELL SPEARING AT SETAUKET", one of the great American genre painting). Watching the water ahead from behind the shield of the lantern (to allow the man to see ahead from the shadow), the front man would watch for a large fish to rise in the water toward the light as the slow moving boat approached. At the shortest distance carefully judged, WHAM that spear hit that fish and UP INTO the boat it come with considerable splashing, rocking of the boat and male fishermen comeuppance particularly if alcohol was active. One of the best descriptions this cataloger recalls of actual usage of this fishing technique is in Roland Robinson's Lake Champlain FIELD & STREAM writing from the 1880's describing the 1830-1860's in, I believe I correctly recall, his UNCLE LISHA'S OUTING. If it's not in that one it's in one of the tales of sporting on the lake. Particularly memorable is the description of them encountering another boat, visible at a great distance, doing the same thing. Truly this lantern, representing a common New England fishing practice now long vanished, is a remarkable and singular lighting device from an obscured (and learned from Native Americans) way of fishing. Please notice the fine design of this example. Who ever made this lantern knew well the conditions of usage. The sturdy pole bracket, the large fuel tank to support the LARGE flames from the burner to âe¦be big enough to attract the fishâe¦ and the large curved shield to block the light on the extreme sides properly yet curved down radically enough at the top to allow the view over this top directly at the target spot for a fish. He that made this knew the exact requirements for this type of lantern. Beautiful thus, a remarkable lantern surviving in outstanding condition. One need only to fuel it, cork it, mount it andâe¦ goâe¦ to put this lantern back in action. For the collector of American lighting, this is the best one of these we have found or even seen in years. It proves that at one time the men on this farm did some serious night fishing. Very good as found condition. Aside from appropriate oxidation and darkening of surface of the tin and some minor usage bumps, bends, dents, the night fishing lantern is in wonderful and fine original condition. Right out of the barn shed w it's been stored high and dry for a century, it has appropriate surface oxidation and soiling for it's age and from it's old farm residence. Please see photographs. As found last August in a farm near Montville , Maine . Seeking things fresh found in attics? Please see our... 
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