L.029

A British center-draft lamp in Arts & Crafts style, but rather conservative in the lower part. The lamp is likely to date from 1880-1890 as its construction is quite elaborate. This is the first lamp I have bought at auction on eBay UK.

The lamp is quite extraordinary when you look at the overall construction: The base and the column are made of ceramic and brass parts, which look rather conservative-historical. The font made of smooth copper, on the other hand, is inserted into a holder made of three arms, which is rather reminiscent of Arts & Crafts in its shape. The font sat relatively loosely in the holder. The problem was solved with a thin brass band inserted into the ring.

The burner is not a Duplex burner, but a central draft burner with a tubular wick, which is rare in the UK. The original wick is still on and the burner burns very brightly and well.

The Matador chimney supplied calls for a shade with a larger fitter. The Victorian tulip shade I bought is wider than 100 mm at the bottom. Therefore I had to buy a new 5 inch globe holder from USA, whose lower step with the inner ring I removed for aesthetic reasons. I combined this globe holder with a standard 100 mm globe holder. The tulip shade is made of intricately cameo etched glass decorated with floral motifs. It goes well with the rest of the lamp.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Tulip shade and two globe holders.

Cleaning and repairs:
Globe holder made from two rings; holder for copper font improved by an additional brass ring.

Lamp body:
Base of light beige glossy glazed ceramic with golden decorative lines. On top a column base of ornamentally embossed brass sheet. Base Ø 185 mm. Brass plate of the column marked: P 205674.
Short column of light beige ceramic, diagonally ribbed. Golden decorative lines somewhat rubbed off.
Font holder of 3 brass arms with screwed-on leaves of sheet copper, Arts & Crafts style, supporting a brass ring at the top.
Drop-in font of smooth copper sheet, with additional brass oil filler, Ø 168 mm.

Burner:
22’’’ Sun burner of Sherwoods, Birmingham, with center-draft.
Wick knob marked: Sun Sherwoods Round Wick. Black glass inlay.
Original flame disc of Hat-on-sieve-tube type, marked: Patent.
Round wick Ø 33 mm.

Glass chimney:
20’’’ Matador chimney. Height 280 mm, Ø fitter 65 mm.
Marked at bottom: Fire proof + anchor.

Shade and shade holder:
British tulip shade for gas lamps, transparent glass, cranberry on top, lighter on bottom, cameo-etched flowers, fluted top rim. Without slip fitter.
Height 133 mm, Ø bottom opening 106 and top rim 225 mm.
Globe holder combined from two globe holders: American, 2-stage 125 mm globe holder for 20''' burners (lower stage separated) and 100 mm globe holder for 20''' burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 37.3 cm, total height with chimney 69.6 cm.
Total weight 3710 g.