Oil lamp

The so-called ‘closed frog’ was a kind of oil lamp that was developed for underground mining. It was so described because the oil containers of the lamp look like a sitting frog when viewed from above. The container of this lamp made of iron is closed except for a small opening, out of which a piece of wick protrudes. This burned with an open flame which provided light for the miners. Behind the wick is a flap, closed with a brass wing screw. The bracket of the oil lamp is adorned with a brass plate on which a mallet and iron are embossed, together with the words ‘Glück auf’ (Good luck!). A hook is attached to the bracket to hang the lamp. ‘Frog lamps’ were used in mining from the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century. In the 19th century, oil lamps were increasingly replaced by gas and carbide lamps, which produced more light. This closed frog can be attributed to the E. Reusch company and is believed to have been manufactured around 1890.