Oil Lantern Wick Survives 130 Years in the Ground!

[ekeisler]

Went out to an old homesite today and struck out. Came home bummed but decided to try another spot near my house that had just been cleared for a new house. Other relics found on the adjacent lot include: Reconstruction era New York and New Jersey buttons, 1903, 1888, and 1887 IHPs, and a couple of mid-1800s flat buttons.

Popped both pieces out of the hole and they were separate. Put them both in my pocket right away. When I got home to clean them off I realized the wick had survived! How crazy!


This is the remaining piece of the wick.


Also saved another NJ coat!


Enjoy!

 

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[dirtdigginfool]

Cool recovery, EK...I've dug a few oil lantern parts myself, but never any with intact wicks. Congrats on your finds, keep after those buttons! Ddf.

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds ekeisler. Thanks for sharing...

 

[Whyme]

Weird that the wick was still there! Nice button! Congrats!

 

[dognose]

The wick surviving is definitely different.

Any idea why? Do you think it was buried in a manner to keep it dry?

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice old relics. I like that button.

 

[Inspector]

That's a tuff wick, nice find & nice button, congratulations

 

[ekeisler]

The wick surviving is definitely different.

Any idea why? Do you think it was buried in a manner to keep it dry?

I don’t believe so. Those are the only two pieces of the lantern that I dug. They were about 8” down which is normal for the site.

 

[Red James Cash]

That reminds me of when boston harbour was being dredged maybe 10 15 years ago.A 18th century tricorn hat was dredged up,excellent condition.

 

[namxat]

I dont want to be a fun sponge, bet when I read "Wick" and "survived 100 years in the ground", the first word that came into my mind was asbestos.

I woudl treat the thing with caution until further information.


Greets namxat

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congrats on the nice relics!

 

[Gene Mean]

Crazy find! I found this Rich Orange Colour button 2 days ago. Still has thread!

 

[A2coins]

Wow thats really cool did you find any more of it

 

[Iffy Signals]

Find a bunch of old lanterns here in cella holes and one time found an old lanture near a 1700’s graveyard. Full wick and was able to roll it out. Had my mind spinning about the whos and whats it was doing there. Somebody visiting, the burial, who knows.. crazy the way a relic hunters mind starts to spin when they dig a relic like that.

 

[ekeisler]

Wow thats really cool did you find any more of it

Unfortunately this is all I found of the wick and the lantern. Maybe I’ll find more when I go back soon.

 

[ToddsPoint]

The copper in the lamp part might have saved it. Brass has copper, and copper puts out salts that are poisonous to bacteria. Just a guess. Gary

 

[pa plateau hiker]

I dont want to be a fun sponge, bet when I read "Wick" and "survived 100 years in the ground", the first word that came into my mind was asbestos.

I woudl treat the thing with caution until further information.


Greets namxat

Asbestos doesn't burn. It wouldn't be used as a wick.

 

[namxat]

Asbestos doesn't burn. It wouldn't be used as a wick.

A wick shouldnt burn at all. It should only transport the fuel (kerosene or whatever) upwards.

I did some google search and there it is:

Asbestos wicks:

Asbestos in wicks - Ancient Danger - Asbestos Global

On side note: Older gas mantels have highly interesting things in it but are often contaminted with asbestos and slightly radioactive (Thorium).


Greets Namxat

 

[pa plateau hiker]

There was a local man who used a asbestos mat to form neon signs on. He lived to be 96. Asbestos didn't kill him. Old age did. I have a pair of ancient asbestos gloves I use to pick up hot metal with. I'm not concerned at all about using them.

 

[SilverDreams]