L.291
The lamps L.291 and L.292 form a pair. They are made of Chinese porcelain in Cantonese painting style (probably in the style of Famille Rose), with very beautiful, elaborate brass mounts, which were probably gilded in the past.
Two lamps as a pair of twins are relatively rare to find. Mostly they are former Moderator lamps that have been electrified. This pair is fascinating not only with the Chinese porcelain vases but also with the intricate cast brass bases and vase collars. As I had bought a pair of tulips in Ghent a few weeks earlier with a very well matching colour, it was an easy decision to buy this pair of lamps.
The porcelain vases were produced for lamp making because they have holes prepared at the bottom during production. The vases each have 2 large cartouches, each containing a different genre scene in the Cantonese style. The painting style is quite casual; presumably the vases belong to a later period (around 1890-1900), when such porcelains were mass-produced, almost in assembly-line fashion, for export to France. The specially prepared holes at the bottom also support this assumption. A signature is nowhere to be seen.
In addition to the two large scenes, the vases also have two smaller cartouches on the sides, which in turn show two different motifs of birds on branches. Even smaller cartouches (also on the lids of the fonts) have monochrome nature images in ochre. Even though the scenes are repeated, they are not exactly the same. The remaining surface of the vases is uniformly decorated with an octagonal pattern.
For further description see lamp L.292.
Lamp Data
Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.
Cleaning and repairs:
Tulip shade ground wider on the inside at the bottom. The inner edge of the globe holder sawed off completely and adjusted to the burner.
Lamp body:
Base and vase collar of elaborately openworked cast brass, probably formerly gilded. Base Ø 18 cm, vase collar Ø 13 cm.
Porcelain vase painted with Chinese court scenes, partially rubbed. Vase with hole at the bottom, without signature, Ø 135 mm. In the vase an additional tinplate container. Stamped on the base and vase collar: 18.
Drop-in font of brass sheet, Ø 93 mm, hidden in the vase. Font lid of painted porcelain, Ø 116 mm.
Burner:
14’’’ Reform Kosmos burner of Wild & Wessel, Berlin.
Wick knob marked: W&W Kosmos. Wick knob back: Ornamental W&W cord.
Flat wick 67 mm of Den Haan Rotterdam, marked: DHR Kat14.
Glass chimney:
14’’’ Kalthoff chimney. Height 280 mm, Ø fitter 53 mm.
Marked: Deutscher Reform-Cylinder 14''' + lion.
Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, frosted glass, colourless on top, cranberry coloured at the bottom, cameo-etched and cut ornamentation, top rim fluted.
Height 150 mm, Ø fitter 64 and top rim 235 mm.
70 mm globe holder for 8’’’/10’’’ burners.
Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 33.8 cm, total height with chimney 66.0 cm.
Total weight 3370 g.
