226.            $250

Whale oil lamp-clock, ca. 1750.  This whale-oil lamp-clock was invented in the 1700’s in France.  You fill the glass globe with whale oil (it burns very cleanly), screw it into the pewter stand, turn it over and the oil flows into the trough; a wick may be involved.  The globe is marked with the hours, in this case for 10 hours, and as the oil burns the level falls until it reaches hour 1, and provides the light needed to see the hours left. The one AAC sold last winter was marked as a clock, running from 5 pm until 7 am; it sold for $425.  You can buy synthetic whale oil if you want to use it.  $250–$450.