Funck-Heap Lamp

The Funck-Heap lamp, introduced in 1892, became the standard lamp used with every 4th order Fresnel Lens in America. A Lamp such as this one probably provided the light source for the Fresnel lens on display in the center of this room before it was electrified in 1932.
The Funck-Heap lamp featured a circular wick flame spreading button in the center, which helped maintain a constant flame size and shape. The wick was fed through a screw thread on the wick-carrying tube.
When the Conimicut Light in Warwick was electrified in 1960, the Keeper at Conimicut gave this lamp to a local Doctor. It was passed down to the Doctor’s descendants and finally after a chance meeting between a BLMA Board Member and a member of the Reilly family, was loaned to the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum for use as a museum display.
This lamp is solid brass and is 15″ tall with a 7″diameter base.

This lamp on Loan to the BLMA by the Reilly Family of Warwick RI and Florida and is on display in the Museum Lens Room