Antique Oil Lamp

Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete

Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete
Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete
Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete

Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete
Brass framework stand with a tin pan on top and a mini glass KEROSENE lamp below it, all held in place within the brass frame work. The miniature glass kerosene lamp still has a wick in place, and still has the SUPER RARE white milk glass lamp chimney in place. The white chimneys were the first thing that broke so it is hard to find one of these complete with original and correct milk glass chimney.

Vapo Cresolene was the forerunner of Vicks Vapo Rub, and was a coarse tar-like liquid that was put onto the tray, heated with the lamp, and the fumes were then ingested to produce a cure for such ailments as whopping cough, etc. This is an ORIGINAL ANTIQUE set, the metal tray holder is stamped with 1885 and 1888 patent dates.

Little glass lamp embossed : VAPO - CRESOLENE / USE KEROSENE. Condition : Everything is in super good condition. Even the little glass lamp and chimney have NO cracks, chips, dings, damage, etc. PLEASE see pictures for idea of overall appearance.

Age : An ORIGINAL ANTIQUE set, the pan holder is stamped with 1885 and 1888 patent dates. This is a very interesting set-up, to be sure.

Again, this is an antique vaporizer and it consists of the glass and brass miniature kerosene lamp, brass holder and mast (framework), and tin pan. The tin pan was filled with the black tar oil'cresolene', dispensed from a VAPO CRESOLENE embossed poison bottle, then the lamp was lit. The cresolene tar oil cooked away into fumes which were inhaled by a patient (much the same way that a vaporizer's steamed fumes are ingested today) and as a result, the patient was cured of a whole list of maladies, almost every known sickness and disease known to mankind, according to the advertising and propaganda that was written up by the Vapo Cresolene company. What wasn't known of or mentioned at the time was that the'Cresolene' was manufactured with creosote, and was a coal tar. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that coal tar is carcinogenic to humans and that creosote is probably carcinogenic to humans. EPA has also determined that coal tar creosote is a probable human carcinogen. This would explain why Vapo Cresolene lamps are no longer popular or in use today! The bottles that came filled with Cresolene are still collectible today. They are listed as # KS-14 in the Kuhn reference book about antique poison bottles. This is a great looking piece of antique quack medicine paraphernalia, hard to find this complete and in this excellent condition , check it out! We put our 30+ years of experience in antiques to use in describing every item we list.

The item "Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete" is in sale since Friday, April 3, 2020. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Bottles & Insulators\Bottles\Antique (Pre-1900)\Poisons". The seller is "clancy_kid" and is located in Libby, Montana. This item can be shipped worldwide.

  • Item Description: Antique VAPO CRESOLENE mini patent medicine lamp
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Color: N/A
  • Volume: N/A
  • Era: Antique (Late-1800 -- early 1900 era)
  • Desirable Features: * All ORIGINAL * working * COMPLETE * true antique


Antique miniature PATENT MEDICINE Oil Lamp VAPO CRESOLENE original & complete