Pastiche with 16th century elements.
The upper portion of the lamp with the man seated on a shell working a bellows is also found in a late 16th century cast with some variations in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (M.61-1952). The Morgan's version, which dates to the 19th century, has been retrofitted to render the oil lamp suitable for electric lighting: the smoke plume at the tip of the shell contains a socket for a light bulb.