antique kerosene lamps

antique kerosene lamps

LAMPLIGHT FARMS 6045 ULTRA-PURE LAMP OIL 32OZ-CLEAR $7.99 Ultra-Pure Candle and Lamp Liquid is absolutely the finest liquid wax available anywhere at any price, produced only by Lamplight. This liquid may be used as a fuel for liquid candles and liquid lamps....

Glo Brite L85-03 Beaded Chimney/Globe Glass Oil Lamp $9.07 Beaded glass top chimney fits standard 3-inch burner, it is 8-inch tall and 3-inch wide at the base....

Glo Brite L302BL Sailor Moon Glass Oil Lamp, Blue $18.00 This kerosene/oil lamp gives a classic elegant touch to your home. The lamp measures 17-1/2-inch tall has a blue glass font, standard 3-inch burner and glass globe....

Vintage Look Black Real Working Railroad Lantern $11.99 Black Real Working Railroad Lantern Black metal lantern with glass globe and adjustable wick is reminiscent of an old time railroad lantern. Want a unique item for a centerpiece or to display on a mantle? How about a light for your western barbecue. This working lantern will be sure to brighten any display....

Price Guide for Miniature Lamps $13.46 Three well-known books on miniature lamps are the progenitors of this informative and easy-to-use Price Guide. Up-to-date pricing covers the lamps shown in Miniature Lamps by Frank R. and Ruth E. Smith, Miniature Lamps II by Ruth Smith, and Miniature Victorian Lamps by Marjorie Hulsebus. The illustrations in each of the three books are numbered, and those numbers are then assigned a current price ...

Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps $24.95 Written by Catherine Thuro a early lighting researcher, writer and museum consultant....

Oil Lamps: The Kerosene Era in North America $86.00 This book is by far the most comprehensive and definitive book to cover the kerosene era. More than 1000 kerosene lamps are shown....

Coleman NorthStar Dual Fuel InstaStart Lantern $109.26 Don't sit in the dark when you can light up your world. The Coleman 2000A750 NorthStar Tube-mantle Dual-fuel Lantern is just the thing you need to illuminate your camp site. The Coleman lantern features an electronic ignition giving you the ease of matchless lighting. A metal guard protects the globe so you don't have to worry about any campsite mishaps. Another plus is the Insta-clip, tube-mantl...

Vintage Look Black Real Working Railroad Lantern $11.99 Black Real Working Railroad Lantern Black metal lantern with glass globe and adjustable wick is reminiscent of an old time railroad lantern. Want a unique item for a centerpiece or to display on a mantle? How about a light for your western barbecue. This working lantern will be sure to brighten any display....

Price Guide for Miniature Lamps $13.46 Three well-known books on miniature lamps are the progenitors of this informative and easy-to-use Price Guide. Up-to-date pricing covers the lamps shown in Miniature Lamps by Frank R. and Ruth E. Smith, Miniature Lamps II by Ruth Smith, and Miniature Victorian Lamps by Marjorie Hulsebus. The illustrations in each of the three books are numbered, and those numbers are then assigned a current price ...

Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps $24.95 Written by Catherine Thuro a early lighting researcher, writer and museum consultant....

Oil Lamps: The Kerosene Era in North America $86.00 This book is by far the most comprehensive and definitive book to cover the kerosene era. More than 1000 kerosene lamps are shown....

LAMPLIGHT FARMS 6045 ULTRA-PURE LAMP OIL 32OZ-CLEAR $7.99 Ultra-Pure Candle and Lamp Liquid is absolutely the finest liquid wax available anywhere at any price, produced only by Lamplight. This liquid may be used as a fuel for liquid candles and liquid lamps....

Glo Brite L85-03 Beaded Chimney/Globe Glass Oil Lamp $9.07 Beaded glass top chimney fits standard 3-inch burner, it is 8-inch tall and 3-inch wide at the base....

Glo Brite L302BL Sailor Moon Glass Oil Lamp, Blue $18.00 This kerosene/oil lamp gives a classic elegant touch to your home. The lamp measures 17-1/2-inch tall has a blue glass font, standard 3-inch burner and glass globe....

Coleman NorthStar Dual Fuel InstaStart Lantern $109.26 First liquid fuel lantern that includes push-button battery-powered electronic ignition. Metal guard helps prevent globe breakage. Non-skid base. No more strings to tie with the Coleman "Insta-Clip" tube mantle (#95 mantle). Fuel capacity: 2 pints. Size: 16.37" x 8" x 7.62". Weight: 5.6 lbs. (Model 2000B750)...

Coleman 1-Mantle Kerosene Lantern $79.26 High intensity light output - Coleman's brightest kerosene lantern Porcelainized ventilator won't rust Single mantle model with high intensity output Easy to operate single-knob control Fuel tank coated inside for long life Traditional bulge-type globe Automatic tip cleaner Burns up to 5.5 hours on full tank of fuel Shipping dimensions: 7 1/2 x 15 3/4 x 7 1/2 (4.7 lbs.)...

Coleman Two-Mantle Adjustable Gas Lantern $55.99 COLEMAN GAS LANTERN *2 mantle *12-1/4" high *5-1/2" base dia. *Fuel capacity: 1.26 Pt. *Use Coleman fuel (Ace No. 82079) *Burns Low-14 hr. High 7 hours *Adjustable light output *Porcelainized steel ventilator, heat resistant globe, inner coated steel fuel tank screw-on cap...

try looking on amazon for something similar that will give you a good estimation

Old Primus kerosene blow lamp working

Gramercy Park No. 571982 Lantern by Fine Art Lamps $1896 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 571982 Lantern hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 571982 Lantern features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 571982 Lantern is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.One round ceiling canopy.One 72 in. chain.Lighting: Six 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 38 In., Width 19 In. Ceiling Canopy: Width 6.5 In., Height 4.5 In.

Portsmouth No. 613082 Lantern by Fine Art Lamps $2412 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 613082 Lantern hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 613082 Lantern features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 613082 Lantern is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish. One round ceiling canopy. One 108 in. chain.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 28 In., Width 19 In.

Portsmouth No. 613282 Lantern by Fine Art Lamps $3012 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 613282 Lantern hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 613282 Lantern features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 613282 Lantern is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish. One round ceiling canopy. One 108 in. chain.Lighting: Six 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 36 In., Width 24 In.

Portsmouth No. 614481 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $3312 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614481 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 614481 Wall Sconce features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614481 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish.Lighting: Six 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 34 In., Width 24 In., Depth 26 In. Wall Plate: Width 7.5 In., Height 26 In.

Portsmouth No. 614081 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $1860 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614081 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 614081 Wall Sconce features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614081 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 23 In., Width 16 In., Depth 18 In., Height 17.5 In. Wall Plate: Width 5.5 In.

Portsmouth No. 614281 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $2412 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614281 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 614281 Wall Sconce features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 614281 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 27 In., Width 19 In., Depth 21 In., Height 20.5 In. Wall Plate: Width 6.5 In.

Gramercy Park No. 568082 Flushmount by Fine Art Lamps $984 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 568082 Flushmount hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 568082 Flushmount features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 568082 Flushmount is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, Amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.Lighting: Three 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 11 In., Width 20 In.

Gramercy Park No. 571882 Lantern by Fine Art Lamps $1680 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 571882 Lantern hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 571882 Lantern features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 571882 Lantern is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.One round ceiling canopy.One 72 in. chain.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 31 In., Width 16 In. Ceiling Canopy: Width 6.5 In., Height 4.5 In.

Portsmouth No. 615481 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $900 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 615481 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 615481 Wall Sconce features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 615481 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown Translucent glass shade. Metal body. Antique Solid Brass finish.Lighting: One 100 Watt 120 Volt Type A-19 Medium Base Incandescent lamp (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 15 In., Width 10 In., Depth 11 In. Wall Plate: Width 5.5 In., Height 11 In.

Portsmouth No. 615883 Pier Mount by Fine Art Lamps $1800 The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 615883 Pier Mount hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Portsmouth No. 615883 Pier Mount features hand-blown Translucent glass, metal body and Antique Solid Brass finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Portsmouth No. 615883 Pier Mount is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown Translucent glass shade.Metal body.Antique Solid Brass finish.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 23 In., Width 16 In., Depth 9 In.

Crystal Laurel Bowl Pendant by Fine Art Lamps $6468 Stylized faceted crystals glitter from a royally finished metal frame. The Fine Art Lamps Crystal Laurel Bowl Pendant, decked out in splendor, is a rich addition to the formal entry or dining room, contributing a sense of distinguished charm to today's luxury lifestyle. Choose from two finishes and sizes. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Crystal Laurel Bowl Pendant is available with the following: Details:Faceted crystal leavesMetal frameRound ceiling canopyThree 72" chainsUL ListedMade in the USAOptions:Finish: Antique Warm Gold Leaf, or Antique Warm Silver Leaf.Size: Large, or Small.Lighting:Large option utilizes six 60 Watt 120 Volt Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included).Small option utilizes four 60 Watt 120 Volt Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included).Shipping: This item usually ships within 4-6 weeks. Dimensions: Hanging Length - Large: Overall Length Adjustable to 88 In. Large Fixture: Width 47 In., Height 16 In. Chain: Length 72 In. Small Fixture: Width 35 In., Height 15 In. Hanging Length - Small: Overall Length Adjustable to 87 In.

Byzance No. 608540 Bowl by Fine Art Lamps $5484 The Fine Art Lamps Byzance No. 608540 Bowl creates a layer of sparkling, overall illumination with a breathtaking banded detail and fluted art glass. The Byzance No. 608540 Bowl features hand-blown glass, solid brass fittings and Antique Gilt Bronze finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Byzance No. 608540 Bowl is available with the following: Included Features: One bowl-shaped, Pale Amethyst, hand-blown glass shade. Solid Brass body with Copper accents. Antique Gilt Bronze finish. One round ceiling canopy.Lighting: Three 150 Watt 120 Volt Type A-19 Medium Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 35 In., Width 35 In. Ceiling Canopy: Width 7 In., Height 4 In.

Byzance No. 609440 Semi Flushmount by Fine Art Lamps $3288 The Fine Art Lamps Byzance No. 609440 Semi Flushmount creates a layer of sparkling, overall illumination with a breathtaking banded detail and fluted art glass. The Byzance No. 609440 Semi Flushmount features hand-blown glass, solid brass fittings and Antique Gilt Bronze finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Byzance No. 609440 Semi Flushmount is available with the following: Included Features: One bowl-shaped, Pale Amethyst, hand-blown glass shade. Solid Brass body with Copper accents. Antique Gilt Bronze finish. One round ceiling canopy.Lighting: Three 150 Watt 120 Volt Type A-19 Medium Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 16 In., Width 24 In. Ceiling Canopy: Width 8 In.

Gramercy Park No. 574480 Pier Mount by Fine Art Lamps $1572 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574480 Pier Mount hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 574480 Pier Mount features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574480 Pier Mount is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 32 In., Width 15 In.

Gramercy Park No. 574781 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $720 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574781 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 574781 Wall Sconce features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574781 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.Lighting: Two 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 24 In., Width 12 In., Depth 8 In. Wall Plate: Width 7 In., Height 12 In.

Gramercy Park No. 572081 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $1476 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572081 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 572081 Wall Sconce features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572081 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features: One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade. Metal body. Aged Antique Gold finish. One wall plate.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 37 In., Width 16 In., Depth 17 In. Wall Plate: Width 6 In., Height 16 In.

Gramercy Park No. 574681 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $2100 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574681 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 574681 Wall Sconce features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 574681 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.One wall plate.Lighting: Six 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 48 In., Width 19 In., Depth 21 In. Wall Plate: Width 6 In., Height 20 In.

Gramercy Park No. 572181 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $912 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572181 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 572181 Wall Sconce features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572181 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.One wall plate.Lighting: Four 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamps (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 31 In., Width 13 In., Depth 14 In. Wall Plate: Width 5 In., Height 14.5 In.

Gramercy Park No. 572281 Wall Sconce by Fine Art Lamps $540 The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572281 Wall Sconce hallmarks a classic design adding a royal look to your exterior. The Gramercy Park No. 572281 Wall Sconce features Amber-tinted glass, metal body and Aged Antique Gold finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Gramercy Park No. 572281 Wall Sconce is available with the following: Included Features:One hand-blown, light, seedy, amber-tinted glass shade.Metal body.Aged Antique Gold finish.One wall plate.Lighting: One 60 Watt 120 Volt Type B-10 Candelabra Base Incandescent lamp (not included). Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 days. Dimensions: Fixture: Height 22 In., Width 9 In., Depth 10 In. Wall Plate: Width 5 In., Height 9.5 In.

Constellations Flushmount by Fine Art Lamps $1404 The Fine Art Lamps Constellations Flushmount lavishes a room with engaging illumination in a tailored unique design. The Constellations Flushmount features metal body and Warm Aged Silver Leaf finish. Fine Art Lamps, an award-winning lighting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, offers superb-quality lighting fixtures that are designed and manufactured in the USA using time-honored craftsman techniques. The Fine Art Lamps Constellations Flushmount is available with the following: Included Features:Metal body.Warm Aged Silver Leaf finish.Optic crystal starbursts.Shipping: This item usually ships within 4- 6 weeks. Dimensions: Ceiling Canopy: Height 11 In., Width 10.5 In.

It’s four p.m. I have been napping and doing walking meditation since the morning meal. My hut is deep in the forest, situated on the upper end of a massive, flat rock, with large, flat rocks on both sides and deep ravines separating them (havens for cobras). Surrounding everything is dense jungle. The six by seven foot hut is perched on the customary four stilts, with each stilt fitted with a small pan filled with kerosene to keep out ants and termites. Eight steps lead to a small porch at the entrance of the small hut, which has two large windows with shutters to protect me from the heavy storms that would soon arrive. It has remained untouched by the fierce lightening so far.

The tin roof holds up well during the rains and is clear of low hanging branches that would invite vipers to drop off trees and become unwelcome guests. Inside on the floor is my lantern and a water jug, and in a corner is a table with a candle and some incense. The solitary adornments on the back wall are a pair of geckos, the ever-present foot long lizards that consider this hut their home as well.

The floor and walls are made of planks cut from large trees by villagers using a two-man saw. This is backbreaking, tedious work for the young village men who manually cut forty-foot logs end-to-end to make boards. They will work all day without stopping, except for a few bites of rice and a coke at noon. These impoverished villagers give up a great deal of their time and resources to support the monks, and I vow to work as hard as I could to find the truth so that I could somehow repay them. Their generosity astounds me.

A monk’s routine in Thailand varied little no matter where he stayed. Now, at four o’clock I will carefully sweep my half-mile path to the main hall so that snakes can’t hide in the leaves, and then I will join my fellow monks at the well where we each draw a bucket of cold water for our bath. This bathing area also serves as a meeting place where the monks meet twice a month to make their brooms for sweeping the paths and to wash and dye their donated robes by boiling them with the orange bark from the jackfruit tree (and thus we were treated to a hot bath every two weeks!).

There might be a cremation in the afternoon. It’s 1981, and Thai families lose as many as half their malnourished children to diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, dengue fever, hepatitis, rabies, dysentery, cholera, malaria, hepatitis, Japanese Encephalitis, and snakebites. The cremation fires remain busy. The first cremation I witnessed involved a small girl, six years old perhaps, so beautiful, her long, black hair combed so carefully with a pink ribbon tied on the side. She looked as if she were only sleeping.

I vividly recall the fire becoming extremely hot once the branches were lit, and in only moments, her shiny black hair sizzled, and then was gone. Next, the skin on her face blistered, and was gone as well, exposing the white skull underneath. The little body blackened quickly, its limbs curling up into a fetal position, and then it began cooking. The dramatic memory of the episode remained with me for weeks, as the monks warned it would, and it was some time before the skulls that appeared on my kuti wall every evening in the candlelight, departed.

In those days, the cremation pits consisted of nothing more than four long stakes pounded into the ground with the space between filled with stacks of dry limbs and twigs. The parents would place the body of their child on top of the heap, after which they would stand stoically by to watch it burn. The mother would throw candy into the air, and the father, sitting on his heels, would smoke cigarettes. Expressing emotion was not considered appropriate etiquette by the Thais, and yet at times I caught glimpses of mothers off by themselves crying quietly. It wasn’t considered proper to make a spectacle of yourself.

The cremation ceremony is over, and I return to my hut now. Occasionally we will have a meeting in the evening, but usually, I will spend the evening in meditation, well into the early morning.

(Next: A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Forest Monk (Evening)