Miner's Electric Cap Lamp
notes: label: Description
content: This electric cap mining lamp was made by the Witherbee Igniter Co. of Springfield, Massachusetts in the early 1900’s. Witherbee started as a manufacturer of magnetos to ignite internal combustion engines. Witherbee became the Wico Electronic Company and also manufactured batteries, which were used in a variety of applications such as this electric cap lamp. The lamp’s battery casing bears the stamped insignia of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Mines with the text “PERMISSIBLE / PORTABLE / ELECTRIC MINIE LAMP / APPROVAL No. 14.” The lamp consists of a battery encased in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord traveled to the cap lamp, which would be worn on the miner’s helmet.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Mining
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content: Mining Lamps
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content: Work
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content: Industry & Manufacturing
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content: Grant Wheat Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Mary R. Wheat
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AG.MHI-MN-8150
label: accession number
content: 239148
label: catalog number
content: MHI-MN-8150
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lamp, electric, cap, mining
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: battery: 6 in x 4 1/2 in x 2 3/8 in; 15.24 cm x 11.43 cm x 6.096 cm
label: Measurements
content: wire: 39 in; 99.06 cm
label: Measurements
content: light: 3 3/8 in x 3 3/8 in x 2 1/2 in; 8.636 cm x 8.636 cm x 6.35 cm