The 'keeper of the flame' of the oil lamp

I will always remember the light of the peanut oil lamp.

Entering Mr. Le Phuoc Quang's house on Hoi Kieng 6 Street ( Da Nang City), one is immediately struck by the abundance of antique decorations and objects, from wooden tables and teapots to vinyl record players… But the most impressive is the collection of antique oil lamps (late 19th and early 20th centuries) that he displays and hangs all over the walls. "I used to own many oil lamps collected from both domestic and international sources, but now I only keep about 100. I only keep a pair of the most special ones; the rest are individual lamps with high artistic value for me to admire…", Mr. Quang said.

Mr. Le Phuoc Quang's collection of antique oil lamps is worth hundreds of millions of dong.

Born and raised in the ancient capital of Hue , and being a nostalgic person, Mr. Quang began seeking out things from the past when he was very young. He became involved in collecting antiques and vintage items about 20 years ago, and oil lamps were among the items he devoted the most effort to searching for and pursuing. This is because they are closely associated with his childhood and his family's life in Phuong Duc Ward (Hue City). He vividly remembers family meals under the light of oil lamps. Later, when his family became more financially stable and bought kerosene lamps, he recalled the bright light that attracted the neighborhood children to his house at night.

"My collecting hobby started with French kerosene lamps that my father bought before 1975. Initially, I bought all kinds, from inexpensive to high-end. Later, I became more selective, keeping only the lamps I loved. I save the simpler ones to give to friends as a way of sharing memories with them…," he recounted. Antique oil lamps also have a diverse range of classifications, from inexpensive to branded lamps (Matador lamps from France, Milor lamps from Germany, AB lamps from the USA…), from mid-range to high-end… Mr. Quang, being formally trained in painting, chose a different path, keeping only lamps with high aesthetic value and unique functionality.

"A high-end, well-known brand oil lamp usually has a very high level of craftsmanship. For example, I own a lamp that is perfect from the bulb and shade to the base… The bulb is very thin, transparent, and very heat-resistant. The mechanism for pushing the wick, the vent for air intake or extinguishing the flame are also very different. High-end models combine both artistic and high-tech features…," he explained.

Mr. Quang only kept for himself the lamps that had high artistic value.

I was so captivated by one lamp that I bought the whole lot!

Leading me to a carefully locked room to admire his collection of rare lamps, Mr. Le Phuoc Quang explained that these approximately 20 antique lamps were meticulously selected over many years of collecting, originating from various countries such as Germany, France, and the United States. Among them are rare pairs of lamps he acquired by chance, some lamps that burn animal fat in a unique way, and some lamps that the French modified into electric lamps for use as elegant bedside lamps…

Pointing to the tallest lamp placed on top of the cabinet, he said it was the most valuable lamp and had cost a considerable amount of money to acquire. "It can be said that this is a masterpiece of art. The lamp neck is made of brass, the lamp shade is made of machine-engraved glass. Especially, the base combines porcelain and brass in an extremely refined way," he introduced. The lamp's lattice is made of glass with an exquisitely crafted dragon design. Someone once offered 20 million dong for it. "I bought the lamp in France through an acquaintance. This person said it belonged to a wealthy family who no longer needed it and were selling it," he added.

Speaking about how he acquired this headlight, Mr. Quang's voice was tinged with sadness as he recalled having to choose between buying the headlight or keeping his CD Benly 125 motorbike. Ten years ago, when this particular headlight appeared in a shipment with many other types of lights, he expressed interest in buying only this one, but the seller said they only sold the whole lot. So he had to "sacrifice" his beloved motorbike, selling it for 50 million dong to buy all the lights, simply because he liked this one headlight so much. Now, the headlight is priceless to him.

Passionate about oil lamps and willing to spend large sums of money to own them, he has often had to sadly watch his beloved lamps fall into the hands of others. He says it was simply not the right time. "I once missed out on a lamp on eBay. It was an antique Aladin lamp with a very large spout, meant to be placed on a table. It had a particularly beautiful shade. After placing the order, the intermediary shipped it and said it was on its way. But then they reported it was 'lost' and returned my money. I know it was because the lamp was so precious that people couldn't resist... When rare and valuable lamps cannot be mine, I often console myself by saying that I am not yet of the class or status to possess such things," he confided.

Mr. Quang said that the business of collecting oil lamps also involves risks. Many visitors to his house have accidentally dropped and broken at least 10 of the light bulbs he bought from abroad, each costing at least 1 million dong. He still vividly remembers the time he invited a friend over to admire a lamp shade crafted from a special type of glass with a very beautiful color – a shade he had never seen before. When he showed it to his friend, it slipped from his hand and shattered. "Should I demand compensation... Well, it's just fate, I couldn't keep it," Mr. Quang said with a gentle smile . (to be continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-vui-suu-tam-do-doc-la-nguoi-giu-lua-den-dau-185240731174506284.htm