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Larry and Carole
        Meeker
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Internet
Antique Dealers & Brokers

 

www.AntiqBuyer.com


LCM@AntiqBuyer.com

 

530-620-7019

Purveyors and Dealers of American Patented & Mechanical Antiques
 

 

 

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Gold Rush Antiques & Related Mining Artifacts

 If you have any old mine lighting devices or other mining related antiques that are for sale, please contact me at  LCM@AntiqBuyer.com with as many details as possible.

We can help you sell your California  Gold Rush Era & Mining Related Antiques!!

I deal in mining related items from the California Gold Rush Era and those cablasting1.jpg (16248 bytes)mining antiques that are related to the gold and silver mining that went on in this area from the period spanning roughly from the late 1840's to the first quarter of the 20th century. 

I live in the foothills of California outside of Placerville and Coloma, where John Sutter first discovered gold in 1849.  It is an area that is rich in history and old lore, but like the gold it was famous for, seemingly depleted of all antiques related to its rich mining heritage.  I am seeking all sorts of artifacts having to do with this historic era and locale.

I deal in mining related artifacts from all over the country and would love to help you sell what you have.  I  can help you sell mining related antiques ranging from different forms of lighting devices  like candlesticks, oilwicks and carbide lamps, to explosive related antiques like blasting cap tins, blasting boxes, scales, mining tools and more. 

I will picture a few such items below and give you a general outline to give you an idea of the sorts of things that safetlmp.jpg (18060 bytes)I deal in.  

Lighting in mines was both a dangerous proposition and a vital necessity and through the years several different types of mine lighting evolved, and then disappeared after the introduction of electricity and battery powered lighting. The relative safety and reliability that this new technology ended the varied alternatives in production and development.  

The use of live flames from candles or carbide lamps or even the light provided by Safety or Davey lamps came to an end .  All of the forms of earlier lighting are of interest. From the earliest iron miners candlesticks, to those that have unusual patented features, or examples with orsticks.jpg (18491 bytes)nate file work or other decoration on them. 

Candlesticks can be marked with the maker or mine name.   Candlesticks  were often made by blacksmiths and so there are many many unique and different examples that can be found.  Some are very crude and utilitarian, while others are superb pieces of workmanship and are considered  pieces of art.  I am looking for candlesticks that have fuse cutters built in to them, or examples that fold up to be more compact, or even those that come apart (known as take-downs) for easier transport and storage.  There are also examples with different means to hold the candle, or ones that have storage area for matches, and even one variety or type that has an area to try and hide a little bit of gold from the mine owners on the way out of the mine, and these are called High Graders.   

Early mine lighting devices wick3.jpg (17469 bytes)known as oil wick lamps or teapots are usually associated with coal mines and came after candlesticks. I have  pictured some on this page.  Oil wick lamps came in a myriad of different shapes, sizes, and designs and those that are different from the norm are of particular interest and can still bring good money while common or typical ones sell for $50.00 or less.  Examples made of different materials from the normal ---- tin or sheet steel usually command a prmium.  Lamps made from materials such as aluminum, brass, copper, cast iron awick_scr.jpg (32550 bytes)nd other materials are eagerly sought.  Some of these antique lighting devices have interesting designs etched into them, and others have little ID plaques attached from the mine, or from mining organizations such as the Mineworkers of America or MWA. 

 If you have any old mine lighting devices or other mining related antiques that are for sale, please contact me at  LCM@AntiqBuyer.com with as many details as possible.

Carbide mining lamps were the next source of light to be introduced..  This style of lamp was relatively short lived but during their heyday, near the turn of the last century and ucarbide_tip.jpg (17016 bytes)p until about the 20's there were many different varieties that were patented and put on the market for use in the mines around the country.  Some of these lamps are quite rare today, while others such as those by the three most common makers---Justrite, Auto-Lite, and Guys Dropper---can be found in nearly every antique shop or at every flea market in the country on any given day. 

There are scores of other much less common names available.  Pictured on the left is an example of a fairly hardlumo.jpg (16397 bytes) to find carbide that is made of aluminum called the Lumi-Lamp.  These aluminum lamps, unless unfired or unused, are usually in rough condition because of the tendency to corrode from the effects of the carbide gas, moisture, and the corrosive nature of the mixture and the gas that they produced when the water was added to the carbide to generate the acetylene gas that was then lit to produce the light.  The basic idea was right, looking for a material that was strong, light,  and would not rust, but I suppose they did not count on the nature of the gas that was going to be created, and obviously the choice of material was not studied enough

Just above is a nickel plated lamp named T I P that is a bit different as well.  Some of the other names of good carbide lamps are Wolf, Anton, Funk Bros, What Cheer, X-ray, Victor, and many others. 

Other mining related antiques that we are interested in buying woulddyn1a.jpg (21897 bytes) be dynamite boxes, dynamite blasting boxes and what are referred to as cap tins, as well as crimpers, and other blasting / mining related antiques.  

I am also interested in buying antique surveying tools that are related to mining such as unusual plumb bobs or plummets, dip needles or compasses, as well as mining transits with auxiliary scopes, inclinometer levels, and other devices used in the construction and layout of mines.

 


Antique Mining Related Antiques Previously Sold

 *****Click the Links Below*****

The above mining related antiques are examples of the caliber, condition and quality of these types of antiques that we are primarily interested in. 

If you have quality antique mining related antiques similar to those that you see on this page that you want to sell,  please contact us at LCM@AntiqBuyer.com providing me with as many details as possible. Thank you!! 

To see many other examples of ming or old west related antiques that we currently have for sale, please go to our sister site at www.Patented-Antiques.com.and visit the numerous sale pages you will find there. 

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