L.086

This lamp was probably originally a central draft lamp made by the German producer Albert Riegermann in Wuppertal. The tank cap has an opening for filling with kerosene/paraffin, and the cap is marked with: Intensiv-Clara-Lampe. The lamp should be dated about 1885-1890.

Intensiv-Clara lamps are central air draft lamps with a special kerosene/paraffin tank for introducing air from below. The holes on the bottom of the vase are clear indications of central air intake. However, this lamp has a normal sealed font and also a normal burner. I suspect that at some point the central air intake tank below the zinc cast lid was replaced with a normal, probably even homemade metal font.

When I took the lamp apart, I discovered only very sparse remains of an earlier bronzing. The lamp had probably been bronzed with copper paint in the past. The vase is made of copper-plated sheet brass. I bronzed the lamp with Or Florentine and carefully heightened it with Or classique, otherwise it seemed a bit too monotonous to me.

The included Prometheus burner from Stobwasser also had an original Prometheus chimney. This rarely encountered burner+chimney combination suggests that the redesign of the central draft lamp with a normal font happened at a fairly early stage.

A British tulip shade was somewhat appropriate, as its sparse garland decoration matches the very similar garlands on the cast zinc base.

Despite the incongruity with the replaced font, this lamp is nevertheless a fine example of German Historicist lamp art.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Tulip shade.

Cleaning and repairs:
Zinc castings re-bronzed (Or Florentine).

Lamp body:
Base made of ornamental zinc casting, on 4 lion paws, Ø 180 mm. Stamped under the base: 583.
Vase of copper-plated sheet brass, top and bottom with zinc cast contours, with 2 large putto medallions and 2 handles. Vase Ø 136 mm, with handles 197 mm. Air inlet holes below the vase.
Drop-in font made of sheet metal (non-magnetic), copper-plated, soldered under zinc cast. Lid Ø 144 mm.

Burner:
20’’’ Prometheus burner of Stobwasser, Berlin.
Wick knob marked: St. with oil lamp (Logo of Stobwasser) + Prometheus Brenner.
Original flame disc with large disc on pin and tube.
Flat wick 98 mm.

Glass chimney:
20’’’ bottle-shaped chimney, original of Stobwasser. Height 281 mm, Ø fitter 64 mm.
Marked: Prometheus - St. + oil lamp.

Shade and shade holder:
British tulip shade, colourless frosted glass, cameo-etched festoons, marked on the fitter: British Made, fluted top rim.
Height 141 mm, Ø fitter 102 and top rim 220 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 33.3 cm, total height with chimney 66.1 cm.
Total weight 3630 g.