L.174

One of the most interesting lamps in my collection, as the figure and base are not made of cast metal as usual, but from a synthetic resin. This synthetic resin is called ebonite, probably because of its black color. Ebonite is a black resin that is made from natural rubber and sulphur through a heat treatment lasting several days (patent by Charles Goodyear from 1851). This high-quality resin is still used today for the mouthpieces of wind instruments and pipe mouthpieces. The black piano keys are also made of ebonite. So this lamp is a rarity for me. I don't know whether many lamps were made from ebonite; in the past ten years of collecting, I haven't seen any other lamp besides this one.

The lamp is from France and was probably made around 1900 or before. The castings of both the figure and the base are detailed and can be easily cleaned and polished with the steel wool.

The nickel-plated metal parts were badly tarnished. The connector between the base and the figure was also half worn off. I silver-plated these parts and the brass globe holder myself.

In order to be able to attach the tulip shade, I used a Favorit chimney of R. Ditmar with a rather narrow bulge instead of the usual Matador chimney.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.
 
Cleaning and repairs:
Broken gallery prongs of the burner soldered on. Metal parts silver-plated.

Lamp body:
Base and female figure cast from black ebonite and polished. Hexagonal base, Ø 149 mm. Between the base and the sculpture a connector made of heavy brass, nickel-plated (nickel layer heavily rubbed off, silver-plated by me).
Font made of clear, light green glass, enamel painting, optically ribbed, Ø 139 mm. Nickel-plated collar and undermount. Font firmly attached to the figure, not removable.

Burner:
Nickel-plated 15’’’ Matador burner of Ehrich & Graetz, Berlin.
Wick knob marked: Matador 15’’’.
Burner marked: Matador 15’’’ Importé d'Allemagne.
Original flame disc with hat on sieve tube, marked: Matador 15’’’ Importé d'Allemagne.
Flat wick 70 mm.

Glass chimney:
14’’’ Favorit chimney of R. Ditmar, Vienna. Height 275 mm, Ø fitter 52 mm.
Marked: 14’’’ Favorit Vigor + Logo R. Ditmar.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, colourless glass, frosted, transparent ornamentation, 6-fold vertically subdivided into a melon shape, top rim scalloped.
Height 179 mm, Ø fitter 69 and bulge 162 mm.
70 mm globe holder for 14’’’/15’’’ burners, silver-plated by me.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 41.7 cm, total height with chimney 74.2 cm.
Total weight 2110 g.