Pair of quinquet in white opaline from Baccarat house early nineteenth century

Superb pair of "quinquets" or oil lamps from baccarat. The foot that acts as a reservoir is cylindrical in white opaline shape called "ball" The gilded bronze collar supports an original white opaline globe set with a brass border in the upper and lower parts. Each opaline is highlighted by floral motifs and golden acanthus leaves. The tubes are made of glass. Period: early nineteenth – louis philippe - charles X. Dimensions: total height with glass: 32cm – globe diameter: 12cm.                       base diameter: 11cm. Do you know where the name "quinquet" comes from. The invention of the oil lamp dates back to the dawn of time, but it made notable progress from 1780. The chemist proust invents the oil lamp with side tank (1780).  And this is a big progress, since the oil being higher than the beak is pushed there by its own weight. Then here is argand who invents the cylindrical wick, and the chimney of sheet metal, then glass (1782). And it is a pharmacist, antoine quinquet, who takes up these inventions in a lamp well to the point mounted on rod (1784) and which will remain in common use until the arrival of the kerosene lamp (1853).  It will be used so much that the name of its inventor becomes a common name: a quinquet!.

Ref. : 984968XJ