L.309

A completely different type of Belgian lamp from Maison Hanniet in Brussels. The assignment to Maison Hanniet is based solely on the embossing “Mson. Hanniet Bruxelles” on the collar. A research on the Internet revealed very little information. Maison Hanniet was probably a well-known lamp manufacturer, founded in 1836. On a postcard stays: “Grande Fabrique d’Appareils d’Eclairage en tous genres” (= Large factory for all kinds of lighting fixtures). Two grand prizes are listed on the same card: 1911 Charleroi and 1913 Gent. This means that the company existed until at least 1913.

I only have this one lamp from this manufacturer. There is currently (October 2020) an offer on the Internet for a luxurious pair of lamps from Maison Hanniet, but with burners of Albert Wauthoz. Other lamps from this house cannot be found at the moment. Lamps from this manufacturer are probably extremely rare.

This lamp is estimated to be made around 1870-1880. This early dating is based on the fact that the entire lamp body, with the exception of the font, is very elaborately constructed from several cast iron parts instead of cast brass. The base, which is stylistically oriented towards the Egyptian Sphinx, is probably due to European euphoria for ancient Egypt during this period.

Since the lamp is not a center-draft lamp, I was allowed to use any burner with side draft. My choice fell on the older version of the 20-line Concurrenz burner by Carl Holy, which is shown in the Stoll catalogue from 1889. This version requires a bottle-shaped chimney. The later versions differ in the design of the burner basket and are used with the narrow-bulge Matador chimneys.

The tulip shade I have chosen is a rarity because it is not made for kerosene/paraffin lamps, but for the much older Sinumbra oil lamps, which makes it a few decades older than the lamp. I found that it still harmonizes well with this venerable lamp.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner with flame disc, glass chimney, glass shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
All cast iron parts were rusted. I removed the rust by grinding, treated the pieces with rust converter, primed them with dark shoe polish cream and then gilded them with bronze wax (see photo below). The fine hairline cracks of the font were soldered on from the outside and sealed with epoxy resin on the inside.

Lamp body:
Base made of cast iron, consisting of 3 three-dimensionally shaped oriental-Egyptian women heads with paw feet that are screwed to the main base. A small brass connector and a palm-shaped holder carry the openwork cast iron vase. Base side length approx. 19 cm. Vase Ø 137 mm.
Drop-in font made of sheet brass, removable, Ø 178 mm. Upper part of the font embossed ornamentally. Collar marked: Mson. Hanniet Bruxelles.

Burner:
20’’’ Concurrenz burner of Carl Holy, Berlin (old version).
Wick knob marked: D.R. Patent.
Original flame disc as a large disc on pin and tube, marked: 20 Concurrenz.
Flat wick 95 mm.

Glass chimney:
20’’’ bottle shaped chimney, slightly tapered towards the top.
Height 272 mm, Ø fitter 63 mm. Marked: Columbus 20'''.

Shade and shade holder:
Glass shade for Sinumbra oil lamps (probably around 1840-1850), colourless glass, partly frosted, engraved ornamentation, without slip fitter.
Height 177 mm, Ø bottom opening 96 and bulge 204 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 35.5 cm, total height with chimney 68.8 cm.
Total weight 4080 g.

From left to right:
Before cleaning – Derusted, cleaned and polished – Treated with rust converter and primed – Gilded with bronze wax