The miner as a bearer of light is one of the most beautiful symbols produced by German folk art. For the first time, Bernd Sparmann and Fritz Jürgen Obst provide a comprehensive presentation of all types of miner's lanterns made of tin from the 17th to the 20th century. Through technical and stylistic comparisons of the individual workshops, they can identify numerous forgeries as well as previously unknown tin caster brands. They provide collectors with reliable information about the old lanterns and enable quick attribution and dating of the pieces. Their extensive work fills a gap in the specialized literature on Saxon craftsmanship.