Oil lamps from Primus and Skultuna (non-pressurized)

Hello everybody,
Here are 2 oil lamps from 2 famous Swedish manufacturers Primus and Skultuna Messingsbruk (translates: brass foundry).
The Primus logo looks like the older version and “Skultuna 1611” looks like 1811 in the picture) indicates that the lamp was made between 1890 and 1922.

The construction is simple, compared to a pressure lamp and I guess that lamp oil would be the appropriate fuel.

However, what is the purpose of the metal mesh and yellow cellulosic sponge material in the oil house?

My guess is that the mesh is for keeping the material separated from the cotton wick.
/Daniel

 

I think gasoline or alcohol, as on French lamp "Pigeon"
And there is sponge in the tank

 

Thanks.
Gasoline in an wick lamp?!
Like an indoor Molotov cocktail, sounds like asking for trouble.
That explains why the cotton wick looks like the wick inside gasoline stove burners (Optimus 8R, etc)

Think I will use a normal wick and lamp oil in the future.

Any idea what the spongy material is?

 

Probably a "real" sponge.
As Sellig33 said, natural sponges were often used in founts of gasoline lamps, e.g. Tito Landi.