L.106

An earlier Moderator oil lamp in painted porcelain from Bayeux, produced probably around 1850-1870 and converted into a kerosene/paraffin lamp sometime later.

The Bayeux porcelain manufactory was founded in 1812 by Joachim Langlois in Bayeux, Normandy. Owned alternately by three families, the company produced porcelain and ceramic products based on Chinese and Japanese patterns. After 1878, these Far Eastern motifs were abandoned as direct imports from these countries were cheaper. Production was increasingly shifted to industrial production for chemical laboratories. In 1951, the company was closed down (source: Wikipedia).

I immediately liked this lamp from eBay France because of its painting in the Chinese Canton style and its unusual shape. The lamp is polychrome painted with several people in Chinese robes, palm trees, flowers, butterflies, musical instruments, etc. The partly quite pasty paint application is rubbed off or chipped in places. The scenery reminds of Cantonese painting style, which surely served as a model.

I had to replace the defective burner. The finely etched glass tulip with a dark green rim matches the size and colour of this lamp very well, as the same shade of green predominates in the painting of the leaves.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
Repairs were not necessary.

Lamp body:
Vase of hand-painted Bayeux porcelain, painted in the Chinese Canton style with people, flowers, butterflies and musical instruments. Pasty, polychrome paint application on a light green background, paint partly chipped off. Vase Ø 127 mm. Bottom closed with a brass ring, Ø 112 mm.
Galvanised sheet iron font, hidden in the vase.

Burner:
10’’’ Kosmos burner of Carl Kneusel, Zeulenroda.
Wick knob marked: C K Z (Logo of Carl Kneusel). Wick knob back decorated.
Flat wick 50 mm.

Glass chimney:
10’’’ Kosmos chimney. Height 251 mm, Ø fitter 39 mm.
Marked: Cristal Lorrain - G.L.F. 10''' + coat of arms of Lorraine.

Shade and shade holder:
British tulip shade, partly transparent glass, green at the top, colourless at the bottom, flat-etched floral motifs, square fluted top rim.
Height 140 mm, Ø fitter 67 and top rim 140 mm.
70 mm globe holder for 10’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 18.0 cm, total height with chimney 47.4 cm.
Total weight 1370 g.