Recommended Library for Lighting Enthusiasts 

Recommended Library for Lighting Enthusiasts

The following books offer a good start for your lighting research. Some of the books may be out of print. However, the list includes books for many interests. Many thanks to Harry and Bette Rapp for their advice on this list. Please report any errors which you come across.

Amazon.com Associates Program

The Rushlight Club is testing participation in The Amazon.com Associates Program. If a book is listed on Amazon.com, we have linked to it from here. If you follow a link to a book that is in stock and purchase it, The Rushlight Club receives a portion of the purchase price. We do not receive reimbursement for out of print books that you purchase through Amazon, but have provided links anyway for your convenience.

Rushlight Club members can take advantage of their free annual ad in Flickerings to find out-of-print books as well. Another good source for out-of-print books is bookfinder.com. Please email RushlightClub@yahoo.com if you can suggest other sources for out-of-print books.

• General Reference
  
• Candle
  
• Whale Oil/Kerosene/Burning Fluid
  
• Railroad
  
• Miners
  
• Miniatures
  
• Gas
  
• Electric
  
• Matchsafes
  
• Miscellaneous
  

General Reference

• BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, The Glass Industry in Sandwich, Vol. 2, Schiffer Publ, 1989. Hardcover or Paperback
• CASPALL, JOHN, Making Fire & Light in the Home pre-1820. (Woodbridge, Sussex, Eng., Antique Collectors' Club, 1987)Out-of-Print
• COOKE, LAWRENCE S., ed., Lighting in America: From Colonial Rushlights to Victorian Chandeliers. (New York, Main Street/Universe Books, 1975) (Antiques Magazine Library)Out-of-Print
• DARBEE, HERBERT C. "A Glossary of Old Lamps" History News, American Assoc. for State and Local History, Tech. Leaflet 30, Nashville, Tenn. 1965.
• HAYWARD, ARTHUR H. Colonial and Early American Lighting. 3rd enlarged ed. with Intro. and Supplement "Colonial Chandeliers" by James. R. Marsh. New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1962.Available
• HEBARD, HELEN BRIGHAM. Early Lighting in New England 1620-1861, Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1964.Out-of-Print
• HOUGH, WALTER, "Collection of Heating and Lighting Utensils in the U.S. Natl. Museum," Smithsonian Inst., U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 141,1928. (Reprinted 1951 by The RushIight Club.) Available
• 0'DEA, WILLIAM T. The Social History of Lighting. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1958.
• ROBINS, F. W. The Story 0f The Lamp. (Reprinted). Bath, England: Pitman Press, 1970. Out-of-Print
• RUSHLIGHT CLUB. Early Lighting: A Pictorial Guide. Published by The Rushlight Club. Second Ed., Rev., 1979. Buy directly from The Rushlight Club
• RUSSELL, LORIS S. A Heritage Of Light. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1968. Out-of-Print
• THWING, LEROY L. Flickering Flames. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1958.
• WATKINS, C. MALCOLM. "Artificial Lighting in America 1830-1860". U.S. Natl. Museum, (From Smithsonian Report for 1951), Smithsonian Inst. Publ. 4080, 1952.
• WILSON, WENDELL E., Frog Lamps: A Survey of Examples from 1529 to 1979. (n.p., Rushlight Club, 1981).

Candle

• BACOT, H. PARROTT. Nineteenth Century Lighting, "Candle-powered Devices 1783-1883." Exton, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1987. Out-of-Print
• BUTLER, JOSEPH T. Candleholders in America 1650-1900, New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1967.
• MICHAELS, RONALD F. Old Domestic Base Metal Candlesticks. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors' Club, 1978.
• WILLS, GEOFFREY. Candlesticks. New York: Clarkson N. Potter Inc., 1974. Out-of-Print

Whale Oil/Kerosene/Burning Fluid

• BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, A Guide to Sandwich Glass, Kerosene Lamps and Accessories (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1997. Paperback
• ___________________A Guide to Sandwich Glass, Whale Oil Lamps and Accessories (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1997. Paperback
• _________________Price Guide for Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Glass Industry in Sandwich (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1993. Paperback
• __________________ Sandwich Glass Price Guide : For Pieces in Perfect Condition, Schiffer, 1999. Paperback
• Benesch, Ladislaus, Edler von, Old Lamps of Central Europe and Other Lighting Devices, trans. and ed. by Leroy Thwing. (Rutland, Vt., Tuttle, for the Rushlight Club, 1963).
• BLACK, LINDA LEE YOUNG, Lantern Enlightenment: A Kerosene Lantern Reference Guide. (Wharton, NJ, L.L. Black, 1982)
• COURTER, J.W., Aladdin: The Magic Name in Lamps: Aladdin Kerosene Mantle Lamps Simpson, Ill., J.W. Courter, 1971. Out-of-Print
• ______________Aladdin Collectors Manual and Price Guide # 18 Kerosene Mantel Lamps. 1994. Available
• HOBSON, ANTHONY. Lanterns that Lit Our World:How to Identify, Date and Restore Old Railroad, Marine, Fire, Carriage, Farm and Other Lanterns . Spencertown, NY: Golden Hill Press, 1991.Available
• ____________Lanterns That Lit Our World:Old Railroad, Marine, Fire, Carriage, Farm & Other Lanterns , Vol. II. Spencertown, NY: Golden Hill Press, 1998. Available
• THURO, CATHERINE M. V. "Oil Lamps," The Kerosene Era in North America. Des Moines, Ia.: Wallace-Homestead Co. 1976.
• ________Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps. Des Moines, IA: Wallace-Homestead Book Co., 1983. Available
• ________"Oil Lamps III," Collector Books, 2001.
• WOLFE, JOHN J., Brandy, Balloons, & Lamps : Ami Argand, 1750-1803, 1999. Brandy, Balloons, & Lamps

Railroad

• BARRETT, RICHARD, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting, vol. 1 - The RR Lantern. Rochester, NY, Railroad Research Pub. 1994. Out-of-Print

Miners

• CLEMMER, GREGG S., American Miners' Carbide Lamps, Westernlore Press, Tucson, AZ, 1987. Available
• POHS, HENRY A., Mine Lights: The Miner's Flame Light Book. Denver, CO: Flame Publishing, 1995. Available

Miniatures

• HULSEBUS, MARJORIE, Miniature Victorian Lamps, Schiffer Pub., Atglen, PA, 1987.Available
• _____________________Price Guide for Miniature Lamps, Schiffer Pub., Atglen, PA, 1998. Available
• RUF, BOB & PAT, Fairy Lamps: Elegance in Candle Lighting, Schiffer Pub., LTD., Atglen, PA 1996. Available
• SMITH, FRANK R. & RUTH E. Miniature Lamps I. New York and Toronto: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1968. Available
• SMITH, RUTH E. Miniature Lamps H. Exton, PA: Schiffer Publications Ltd., 1982. Available
• _______________The Accurate Price Guide for Miniature Lamps I and II. Schiffer Pub., 1988. Out-of-Print
• TIBBETTS, DOROTHY, Clarke's Fairy Lamps. (Huntington Park, Cal., Mission Press, 1951).

Gas

• MYERS, DENYS PETER. Gaslighting in America. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Interior, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, 1978. Available
• REES, TERENCE. Theatre Lighting in the Age of Gas. London: The Society for Theatre Research, 1978. Out-of-Print

Electric

• COX, JAMES A., A Century of Light, The Benjamin Co., Pub., NY (basically electric lighting and Edison.) Out-of-Print
• COURTER, J.W., Aladdin Electric Lamps, and Alacite by Aladdin. Simpson, Ill., J.W. Courter, paperback, 1987. Available
• Aladdin Electric Lamps Collectors Manual and Price Guide #3Available
• LEWIS, FLOYD A., The Incandescent Light, Shorewood Pub., NY 1961.

Matchsafes

• ALSFORD, DENNIS B. Match Holders, 100 Years of Ingenuity. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1994. Available
• SULLIVAN, AUDREY G., A History of Match Safes in the United States. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Riverside Press, 1978)

Miscellaneous

• BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN. The Glass Industry in Sandwich. Schiffer Publishing, 1997. Hardcover or Paperback
• Magic Lantern Society of Great Britain, The Ten Year Book. (London, 1986)
• McDONALD, ANN GILBERT. Evolution of the Night Lamp. DesMoines, IA: Wallace-Homestead Book Co., 1979. Out-of-Print
• MOSS, ROGER W. Lighting for Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.: The Preservation Press, 1988.