Bug Light

[Red Doe]

This is a picture of a bug light that I looked up in a book that says it was made in the Blewett area back in the late 1800's. The book says that they are specific to the Blewett area.
The were made out of a larger can with one end open and the other end had holes poked into it. A candle was put into it and when lit it would look like little bugs floating around in the dark because of the holes punched into the back of the can. Had a handle to hold it and the front was open and was used as a flash light. This one is missing the part with the holes that would be punched into it, but has the handle and the cut for the candle holder.
The book said that they were not used much in the mines but were used as a light to the out house or for around the cabin.
Besides the picture in the book....I have never seen one and when we found it did not know what it was until we read the article in the book.
Has anyone seen anything like this anywhere....either in the Blewett area or some other mining area?

[El Dorado]

NICE FIND FOR SURE

[Smithsgold]

Very Cool !!!!!!!

[tommyknocker]

I thought this post was going to have something to do with BEER!!
Where is my head at?

Tom

[Joe S (AK)]

That neat old find is a really cool thing! I certainly haven't seen anything like that before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now Tom,

Your answer is:

"... on the stool, right next to me with the tap 'tween us."

Joe

[Chace]

Red Doe
When I was a kid growing up in Alaska, we made and used our own candle lanterns, just like the one in your picture. And yes, we used them to go to and from the outhouse or feed the dogs or get fire wood or....

Chace

[COArgonaut]

No, no....I said, "A Bud lite!"

[russau]

No, no....I said, "A Bud lite!"

Ed, leonard going tobe disappointed in you for asking for a bud lite! its a budweiser thing.

[Bonaro]

Never found a bug light but I did dredge this up at Blewett one day. It came from under about 6-7 feet of overburden and was in a 6" layer of square nails. It is a brass plate with a hand carved silver filigree.

[drjon]

Never seen such a thing before. But does it works?