Fireman’s Torch 3
c. 1937
Hanging from a sharp iron spike, this heavy metal lantern looks like it was just pulled from a dusty 19th-century firehouse. Elmer G. Anderson captured the object's sturdy, utilitarian charm around 1937, using careful shading to make the dull metal practically gleam off the page. Created during the Great Depression as part of a massive government project to document American history, drawings like this saved everyday objects from being forgotten. It’s a surprisingly dramatic portrait of a tool that once helped light up the darkest, smokiest nights!
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