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 the links 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 webmaster@rushlight.org if you can suggest other sources for out-of-print books.
- 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 (Currently Unavailable)
- 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 Out-of-Print
- 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. and JANET HOLMES, A Heritage of Light: Lamps and Lighting in the Early Canadian Home. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2003 Available
- THWING, LEROY L., Flickering Flames. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1958 Out-of-Print
- WATKINS, C. MALCOLM, "Artificial Lighting in America 1830-1860". U.S. Natl. Museum, (From Smithsonian Report for 1951), Smithsonian Inst. Publ. 4080, 1952 (Currently unavailable)
- WILSON, WENDELL E., Frog Lamps: A Survey of Examples from 1529 to 1979. (n.p., Rushlight Club, 1981) Out-of-Print
- 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 Out-of-Print
- MICHAELS, RONALD F., Old Domestic Base Metal Candlesticks. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors' Club, 1978. Out-of-Print
- WILLS, GEOFFREY, Candlesticks. New York: Clarkson N. Potter Inc., 1974 Out-of-Print
- BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, A Guide to Sandwich Glass, Kerosene Lamps and Accessories (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1997 Paperback
- BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, A Guide to Sandwich Glass, Whale Oil Lamps and Accessories (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1997 Paperback
- BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, Price Guide for Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Glass Industry in Sandwich (The Glass Industry in Sandwich Series), Schiffer, 1993 Paperback
- BARLOW, RAYMOND and KAISER, JOAN, 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) Out-of-Print
- BLACK, LINDA LEE YOUNG, Lantern Enlightenment: A Kerosene Lantern Reference Guide. Wharton, NJ, L.L. Black, 1982 (Currently Unavailable)
- COURTER, J.W., Aladdin: The Magic Name in Lamps: Aladdin Kerosene Mantle Lamps Simpson, Ill., J.W. Courter, 1997 (revised). Available
- COURTER, J.W., Aladdin Collectors Manual and Price Guide # 18 Kerosene Mantel Lamps. 1994 Available
- COURTER, J.W., Center-Draft Kerosene Lamps 1884-1940, Identification and Value Guide 2008 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
- HOBSON, ANTHONY, 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.
Paducah, KY: Collector Books, 1976
Available
- THURO, CATHERINE M. V., Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps. Paducah, KY:
Collector Books, 1983 Available
- THURO, CATHERINE M. V., Oil Lamps III, Victorian Kerosene Lighting 1860-1900 Paducah, KY: Collector Books, 2001 Available
- WOLFE, JOHN J., Brandy, Balloons, & Lamps : Ami Argand, 1750-1803 1999 Available
- BARRETT, RICHARD, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting, vol. 1 - The RR Lantern. Rochester, NY, Railroad Research Pub. 1994 Out-of-Print
- 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
- HULSEBUS, MARJORIE, Miniature Victorian Lamps Schiffer Pub., Atglen, PA, 1987 Available
- HULSEBUS, MARJORIE, 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 II. H. Exton, PA: Schiffer Publications Ltd., 1982 Available
- SMITH, RUTH E., 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) Out-of-Print
- 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
- 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
- COURTER, J.W., Aladdin Electric Lamps Collectors Manual and Price Guide #3 Available
- LEWIS, FLOYD A., The Incandescent Light Shorewood Pub., NY 1961 Out-of-Print
- 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 Riverside Press, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 1978 (Currently Unavailable)
- 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 Available
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