The History of Aladdin Lamps

Western Light Company

• The Aladdin lamp was the invention of Victor Samuel Johnson, who got the idea for his kerosene lamp invention from a German kerosene lamp burner called the "Practicus." In 1907, Johnson quit his job and founded the Western Light Company in Minneapolis and obtained the rights to sell Practicus lamps in the United States.

  For the next few years, Johnson and others at his company worked on modifying the design of the Practicus to produce a new lamp design, which Johnson called the "Aladdin lamp" after the famous magical lamp in the story of Aladdin.

The Evolution Of Aladdin Lamps

• Early sales of Aladdin lamps were more profitable than Johnson and the Western Light Company anticipated, due to their superior burning time and illumination quality. Soon these lamps were making other types of kerosene lamps obsolete.

  In 1919, Aladdin Inc. was formed, and the company diversified its line of products, branching out to include lunchboxes and vacuum bottles, among other offerings. Aladdin lamps are still manufactured today and continue to be popular the world over.

Aladdin Lamps As Collectibles

• The name of the company was changed to the Mantle Lamp Company and gained prominence and notoriety during WWII, when the lamps, and the Aladdin kerosene burners themselves, were used during the temporary discontinuance of electronic lamps and components by the War Production Board in an effort to conserve resources.

  Today, vintage Aladdin lamps are highly collectible, and many groups are devoted to collecting and acquiring them, including the National Association Of Aladdin Lamp Collectors.

The Gathering

• The National Association Of Aladdin Lamp Collectors hosts the largest Aladdin Lamp show and exhibition in the world. The exhibition, called the Gathering, has been held since 1973 and gives collectors and sellers the opportunity to showcase their collections and purchase new lamps. An auction also is held at which rare Aladdin lamps and other items are sold to the highest bidders.

Aladdin Lamps Today

• With their rich history and tradition, it is easy to see why Aladdin lamps remain as popular today as they were when they were first manufactured in the early 1900s. Aladdin lamps are still manufactured in the United States and are shipped to and used in many other countries as well.