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Few things create atmosphere like a genuine brass ship's lamp. But which one to choose? A tour of the three big families.
1. Bulkhead lamps
The bulkhead lamp is the classic on-board wall light: cast brass body, protected clear or frosted glass, direct wall mounting. Those by Foresti & Suardi are made in Italy from solid brass and look just as good in a hallway or a maritime-styled bathroom. Choose E14/E27 to suit your installation.
2. Oil lamps
The oil lamp needs no electricity and gives the warmest light there is. From the hurricane lantern to the Danish lamps of E.S. Sørensen and the legendary DIETZ: perfect for the cockpit at sunset, the terrace, or a stylish power cut. Wicks, chimneys and burners are always available in our spare parts section.
3. Electric lamps
Classic looks with modern convenience? Electric nautical lamps — ceiling, wall, table or pendant — give permanent light with zero maintenance. Many Danish Delite models also exist in 12 V versions for on board.
Our advice
For deck and outdoors: chrome or stainless steel. For the saloon: polished lacquered brass. As a gift? A Danish oil lamp never fails. In doubt? Write to us — we are happy to advise you in English.
The Foresti & Suardi families at a glance
The Italian house Foresti & Suardi is our reference in cast-brass lamps. Its families, with one example of each:
- Oval bulkhead with guard — the deck classic: 0200 brass 175 mm, clear glass · 0301 chrome 175 mm, frosted glass · up to 262 mm.
- Oval bulkhead with half shade — light downwards, no glare: 0210 brass · 0311 chrome.
- Round bulkhead — compact, also mini E14: 0220 mini · 0222 ø190 · 0224 ø215 · 0321 mini chrome.
- Round with half shade: 0230 · 0331 chrome.
- Wall lamp with guard / half shade (ø240): 0240 · 0244 · 0341 chrome.
- Cabin ceiling and wall: 0250 ceiling · 0252 wall 15° · 0350 chrome.
- Deck and pendant with shade and guard: 0254 deck · 0256 pendant · 0355 chrome.
See all bulkhead lamps, the electric lamps and the complete Foresti & Suardi range; spare glasses and brackets under spare parts.
Choose by place: where the lamp will live
- Cabin or saloon: a brass bulkhead lamp with frosted glass gives soft light without glare in a small space; the version with a guard protects the glass from knocks.
- Cockpit, deck or porch: look for watertight bulkhead lamps with gasket and guard; lacquered brass or chrome cope with spray if rinsed now and then.
- Saloon table, terrace, country house: an oil lamp or a DIETZ hurricane lantern gives the warmest light there is and needs no mains.
- Bathroom with porthole mirror, hallway, entrance: electric brass wall lights — Delite's miner's lamps, for instance — add the nautical touch without a flame.
Oil lamps: what you need to know
The oil lamps by Delite and E.S. Sørensen — Ship's Lamp, Captain's Cabin, Old Danish, Petrolux — have been made in Denmark for generations on the same principle: reservoir, flat wick, adjustable burner and glass chimney. For on board choose the version with a gimbal suspension, which keeps the lamp upright as the boat rolls; at home the table or wall version is enough. Always use pure lamp oil (quality liquid paraffin), never petrol or alcohol, and trim the wick regularly — maintenance is covered in this guide.
Electric lamps: 12/24 V or 230 V
The electric lamps by Foresti & Suardi and Delite take a standard socket (depending on the model) and accept LED bulbs: for a boat choose 12 or 24 V LEDs, for the house the usual 230 V. Check the maximum wattage marked on the lamp and whether the glass is clear (more light, more glare) or frosted/opal (diffused light, ideal for reading or dining).
Brass, chrome or stainless steel
Polished brass is the classic; lacquered, it needs no polishing. Chrome suits modern interiors and steel boats; the stainless steel of Delite and E.S. Sørensen resists salt best. If in doubt, the guide brass, chrome or antique bronze helps you decide; and to match them with clocks and barometers in the same finish, see mounting your instruments.
Spares: a lamp for life
The great advantage of these brands is that everything can be replaced: glasses and globes, wicks, burners, shades, gimbals and smoke bells are all in our spare parts section. A Danish lamp from the seventies still works today with a new wick and glass.
Frequently asked questions
Does an oil lamp smell?
With quality lamp oil and a well-trimmed wick, hardly at all. The smell comes with cheap oils or a flame set too high.
Can I use an indoor bulkhead lamp in the cockpit?
Better not: choose a model intended for outdoors, with gasket and guard. Brass copes, but electricity and water do not mix.
Which is "the" classic nautical lamp?
The Ship's Lamp and the Captain's Cabin by E.S. Sørensen/Delite and the DIETZ hurricane lantern: all three have been lighting boats and seaside homes for over a century.
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