New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

Open flame miners' carbide cap lamps were used in American coal mines during the first quarter of the twentieth century. The presentation briefly reviews the initial manufacturing history and then focuses on aspects important to today's collector. This will include a discussion of which lamps are most collectible and what lamps are less so. It will discuss the fine points one should look for in terms of typical flaws and missing parts. It will also discuss cleaning techniques and how this may reduce or improve value. Dave Thorpe has written two books relating to miners' carbide lamps and is considered an expert in the field.