by 21st Century 210-76000 Centennial Gold Trim Oil Lantern, Black

I bought this least expensive oil lantern I could find in order to use in a presentation about the madman in Friedrich Nietzsche's proclamation that God is Dead. Since the whole point of the story is that it takes place in the daytime, while the madman is carrying a lit lantern, there was no real need to even light the thing, but the looks of a classic oil lantern which may have been used 130 years ago was important. The shipment arrived in good time, but oddly, unlike books, the item was not securely packed, so the glass globe was broken in shipment. I do not fault Amazon or UPS, but the original packaging, which allowed considerable "give", so that a routine jarring could cause damaging impact. I do fault Amazon for not marking the package fragile, but that was not the primary problem. If you are getting the lantern for "show", this is great. I also wanted it as a resource if my electricity went out. I added fuel carefully, and at a low level, and did not find any noticeable leaking, but I would not trust it if it happened to swing on its handle.In contrast, I bought a Dietz Junior Brass Trim Oil lamp, which was a bit more expensive, but it worked better than this V & O model. No leaks, and a far more sturdy glass globe. Even though it got banged up a bit in my car, it did not break, and it is, I believe, easier to replace the globes n the Dietz model than it is on the V & O model.I recommend the Dietz over the V & O for durability and larger oil resevoir.

I was hoping this lantern would be comparable to my forty year old Dietz 76, but I was dissapointed. This lantern uses thinner materals in its construction and feels fragile compared to my old Dietz. I return it.

I really love these little lamps. I bought four of them to set on our outdoor Thanksgiving Table last year and they were a hit! I also used them for St. Patrick's Day this year and we lit them to keep the bugs away. Just like with any lantern, be careful not to knock them over with oil inside whether or not they are lit. They did not do such a great job keeping the bugs away but they are really pretty lamps and I think "looks" is their main purpose for a price like this. A friend at the St. Patrick's Day celebration wanted to buy them from me. I bought the black ones and they have a matte paint finish and an odd way of opening the glass in order to light the lamp, but it's easy to figure out. They are about 10'' tall and I don't regret buying them because I plan on using them for more events in the future.

This is a decent oil lamp. It is rustic and reminds one of the old days. What surprised me about it was how small it is compared to the other two (less expensive) glass lamps I have. I thought it would have been larger. It is also a little cumbersome to light compared to the less expensive ones where you just remove the hurricane lamp and light it. But if you are buying this lamp, you are buying it as much for its looks as for its practicality.

This lantern does function however it is not the real deal. This is a replica of the lanterns that were once in wide usage back in the old days and which still are used as storm lanterns. The one I purchased came a bit beat up and I learned as I set about bending the glass globe holding fixture back into shape just how flimsy this thing is. It might be worth the $16 I spent on it however it is not worth a penny more. I do not see this thing holding up in a situation where it was put to daily usage. I give it three stars - it's OK.

Great little lamp for the price. The biggest issue is that the spout where the fill cap is, isn't braised on. It's just crimped on. So, if the cap is tight, and you place some force on it to get the cap off, the spout just pops right off. Other than that, it burns well and is easy to get the chimney out for cleaning.

I bought two of these lanterns to put in my emergency preparedness supplies in the event of loss of electricity. Thesesturdy little items should do well.

These lamps are china made and not worth it at half the price. I purchased eight to use outdoors on my deck during the summer. Two leaked like a sieve as soon as they were filled and dripped flammable oil all over my deck. The metal is so poorly fit that there are cracks between the base and the arms that support the glass and top, and the oil just drips and drips. Of course once filled with a flammable substance (that has dripped all over the outside of the lamp), they can't be mailed back so I ended up throwing them away. I expect the that if the other six don't spring a leak before the end of the season I will be lucky. I will probably just throw the remainder away even if they last that long, and look for something of higher quality for next year (or maybe sooner). Certainly don't purchase these to use inside your home. I give them one star because you can't go any lower.

SECOND EDIT: DO NOT BUY THEM! We bought two for Christmas (details below) and apparently got very lucky. The last 4 we received are no where near worth $22. I wouldn't take two more of them for 22 cents. This product has higher reviews than it deserves. Just so you know, the last two that arrived will not close without help. It is supposed to be gravity that makes them close. Worst purchase off Amazon ever!EDIT: The second pair arrived in a deplorable state. One of them felt as if it was assembled with tape and the other would open, but not close. Returning the second pair to get replacement. Will update when new pair arrives. Dropped rating from 4 to 3 stars as 50% of the products we have purchased were unusableA Little cheaply made, but still a nice product overall. Good enough for us to buy 2 more less than a month after our original purchase. If we could change things, the fuel spout would be a greater distance from the wick adjustment feeder, the sticker telling you to not fill above a certain level would be easier to remove, or painted on, and there would be a clear portion of the fuel reservoir to more accurately see where the fuel level is.