Among the dark, obscure fog of the horizon the warm glow of a bronze plated lantern pierces through and sheds light on the dim evening. This humble lantern lights the way for many weary travelers. Many regard lanterns as a happier installment to a home that is in an area that is prone to dark weather. The rarity of non-electric lighting methods makes the lantern that is fueled by oil and other such old time fuels a piece of distinguished history. Battery powered lanterns are very often seen with people who enjoy the outdoors and its bounty at night. Though lacking much of the charm of oil lanterns they are often used during camping trips. The fact that batteries are so cheap and easy to carry around, combined with the fact an electric lantern can be molded after an older lantern, makes the electric lantern a good choice.
Because the lantern’s history is so rich and varied, a metal
lantern with burnished spots is quite the impressive addition to a home that yearns for a rustic touch. A standard lantern will typically find itself in a diminutive frame, and this prohibits the object from being too loud, large, or overbearing in a room with many other decorative items. Iron is one of the most common metals a lanterns were made out of in the mountains or rugged valleys, while brass resisted sea salt corrosion and was more suited for ocean going lanterns. Because a lantern was so essential to every family and household, most lanterns had a return address or home address embossed somewhere on the body of the lantern itself. Many lanterns have been passed down from generation to generation through the mother’s side, as they were the ones to retain their family goods after marriage.
Because of the close proximity to the sea, many an ocean village would keep lanterns outside their homes, and these would act as guides for sailors on the water. Evidence uncovered in the waters of North Africa and the Middle East suggest many coastal towns did the same in the ancient times. Villagers in the mountains also found this lit lantern tactic quite useful when trying to guide their woodsman back to their homes at nightfall and in the presence of inclement weather. The incredible endurance and longevity of a lantern made for the wealthy stands as testament to the blacksmith that created them - most of them have lasted into this age. A single lantern on the front of many old world carriages was considered the standard by which to travel at night. One could distinguish extremely expensive carriages by the number of lanterns they had on them - four at each corner of the square that was the carriage’s body was often the maximum number.
A decorative lantern can be both functional and highly aesthetically pleasing. The light of electric bulbs is adequate, but oil lanterns carry a certain antique charm with their warmth and richness.