Extant lanterns from the 18th century

18th century tin lanterns at the MFA: 28.28, 28.36, 28.37, 28.38, 28.311

National Museums Scotland H.MGK 7, “Three-cornered lantern with a wooden frame and base and tin candle holder, carried by Lady Grizell Baillie when visiting her Covenanter father, Sir Patrick Hume, during his concealment in the vault beneath Polwarth Church in 1684”

V&A 1959-65, a metal lantern with a leather handle

National Museums Scotland H.MGK 5, a wooden lantern from Aberdeenshire; “The rectangular lantern has a sloping top and horn windows on three sides, with a door on the fourth side. It is bound all round with leather and a tab of leather, fixed to the door with studs, serves as a handle. There is a handle of twisted cord.”

National Museum of American History 2002.0160, a tin lantern with horn panes

Bonhams 30 September 2015, Lot 152, a 17th/18th century iron, brass and horn black-out lantern, possibly French, circa 1700; “With fluted cap topped by a knopped brass finial, the body formed from two sheet iron cylinders, the innermost sleeve swivelling to either be open, glass-lined or completely closed, fitted to the interior with a fluted sheet metal candle socket with shield, the iron strap handle bound in wicker and leather for a grip”

National Museums Scotland H.MGK 9, a brass and horn lantern dated 1750, associated with the Fairbairns of Cockburnspath, East Lothain; “It may have been used to warn vessels from the rocks at Cove in East Lothian. The lantern has horn windows and is engraved 'P FAIRBAIRN COVE 1750'. There is a lighthouse and a sailing galley incised on each of the four partitions of the frame and a design of scallops and stars on the horizontal bands.”

Isabella Stewart Gardner M19w12, an 18th century lantern from Germany; “This lantern has a double-high brass dome on top, ornate brass edges, and a flat brass bottom. Each of its four glass sides is etched with scrollwork and one side includes an etched crown and coat of arms”

V&A 155-1891, a brass and glass hand lantern, Dutch, 18th century

Concord Museum H1667, pierced tin lantern, made in America in the 18th century, and later wired for electricity

Hanes and Ruskin Y143; “This amazing lantern consists of an engraved glass inserted into a tin frame. Made on the Continent (20 years ago we bought a similar example, or maybe even this very one, in France) in the mid to late 18th century. It is in completely original condition, including the insert to hold a candle with its crimped bobeche and long handle so your fingers don't get burnt.”

Colonial Williamsburg 1958-75, America, c. 1750-1850; “Tinned sheet iron lantern composed of a cylindrical body with a conical top, surmounted by a wire-mounted carrying ring”

Colonial Williamsburg 2016-164, America, c. 1750-1850; “Tinned sheet iron lantern of unusually small size”

Colonial Williamsburg 1963-10, England or America, 1760-1800; painted iron “Lantern with circular strap suspension ring or carrying handle with moulded face and wire swivel attachment to center of top”

Concord Museum M400a1 (one of the two Paul Revere lanterns), made in Boston c. 1765-1770; “Tinned iron, glass. Rectangular shaped lantern, with four glass panels and a ring on the top. Metal has incised line design … Lantern has been identified as one of the lanterns hung as a signal in the belfry of Christ Church (Old North Church) in Boston on the night of April 18, 1775.”

Met 34.100.188, a tin lantern with horn panes, made in Pennsylvania c. 1770

Met 39.184.48a-d, a wall lantern in bronze with glass panes, made in England c. 1770

A tin lantern from Orkney, late 18th or early 19th century; “The cylindrical candle lantern has been painted green. It has a hinged door on one side, a conical top and scalloped cap with a handle linked through it. The windows are made of sheet mica, and form three rows of panes. The top row is ornamented.”

Colonial Williamsburg 2015-180, probably England, c. 1780; “Circular lantern with flat base, rectangular box-shaped hinged door with glass window; squared handle opposite door; and conical top with circular hanging ring above a square-shaped deflector/shield. Pierced with various shapes (circles, crescents, leaves, etc.) on conical top and with garland patterns on sides”

Historic New England 1991.985, possibly c. 1780-1820; “Wood frame with chamfered and notched uprights and square chamfered edge on the top and bottom; holds four rectangular panes of glass; the top has a shaped opening and is fitted with a pierced tin panel and a wire handle; the upright post projects through the top and bottom; one side has cotter-pin hinges and a loop wire.”

Manchester 1922.774, c. 1800; “Lantern made with iron fittings with ridged glass cylinder. The iron lid is pierced in two monotype patterns. Small round, fluted candle-holder lifts out by means of a long handle and hook.”

The Met has a few American punched-tin lanterns dated to the 18th or 19th centuries; see 10.125.599a, 10.125.599c, and 10.125.600

Sheet iron and horn lanterns, late 18th/early 19th centuries: Brunk Auctions Aug 1 2020, Lots 1000, 1001, and 1002