An outdoor lantern is a light fitting designed to withstand the weather, used to illuminate entrances, porches, courtyards, drives, gardens and streets. Antique examples usually have a metal frame of copper, brass, cast iron or tinned steel, glazed with glass panels to protect the flame or lamp from wind and rain, and a ventilated top to let heat and fumes escape.
Before electricity, outdoor lanterns burned candles, oil or gas. Georgian town houses had wrought-iron lamp brackets and overthrow lanterns above their doors, while Victorian and Edwardian houses, stable yards and lodges were lit by gas wall lanterns, lamp posts and carriage lanterns. Copper became especially popular because it resists corrosion and develops an attractive verdigris patina over time. Street lighting and railway station lanterns are also widely collected. Collectors look for original glass, sound frames and joints, decorative details such as finials and crowns, and examples that can be converted to electricity with a weatherproof fitting. Rust, cracked panels and missing doors affect value, and any rewiring must meet modern outdoor electrical standards. Reclaimed antique outdoor lanterns give a period house an authentic welcome and add character and warmth to gardens and courtyards after dark.
