L.212

A presumably German lamp with a large glass font and zinc cast base. I bought the lamp from a German collector primarily because of the high-quality burner by Carl Holy. I had considered it a German lamp. However, I have since seen the glass font on two British lamps; therefore, I now classify this lamp as of unknown origin.

The cast zinc base is beautifully ornamented. The original bronzing was almost rubbed off; therefore, following my method, I first primed the base with dark shoe polish, then bronzed it with copper wax and then brightened important parts with brass wax.

The burner is the new version of the Concurrenz burner by Carl Holy (the old version is at L.309). For this burner, Goldberg catalogues recommend Matador chimneys with a narrow bulge; Stoll catalogues, on the other hand, recommend bottle-shaped chimneys. I tested the burner with both chimneys. With the Matador chimney, the flame was somewhat unsteady and showed periodic flickering. With the bottle-shaped chimney, the flame was very calm and steady. That's why I decided to use a bottle-shaped chimney.

The glass font is a bit oversized for my taste. I managed years later to buy an old pink 280 mm Vesta shade of The Silber Light Co. in London, which is vertically ribbed and harmonises both in size and design with the glass font much better than all the other shades in all shapes I had tried on this lamp. I did, however, have to make a matching 280 mm shade holder myself from ornamented brass band and brass rods.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Glass chimney, Vesta shade and self-built shade holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
New shade holder constructed of decorative brass band and brass rods. The cast zinc base bronzed in two colours (Cuivre, heightened with Laiton).

Lamp body:
Base of ornamental cast zinc, formerly bronzed, round, Ø 152 mm.
Clear transparent glass font, mould-blown, Ø 176 mm. Removable font, thread 23 mm.

Burner:
20’’’ Concurrenz burner of Carl Holy, Berlin, the new version, with gallery lifter, for Schubert & Sorge, Leipzig.
Wick knob marked: Schubert & Sorge, Leipzig-Reudnitz. Black glass inlay.
Original flame disc, large flat disc on pin and tube.
Flat wick 98 mm.

Glass chimney:
20’’’ bottle-shaped chimney. Height 288 mm, Ø fitter 64 mm.
Marked: Germania 20''' + K and lion in coat of arms.

Shade and shade holder:
Vesta shade by Silber Light Co., white milk glass overlaid with dark pink, vertically ribbed, flat upper rim.
Height 166 mm, Ø fitter 276 and bulge 295 mm.
280 mm shade holder; self-made from brass ornamental tape, brass rods and a 100 mm globe holder for 20''' burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 24.3 cm, total height with chimney 59.2 cm.
Total weight 3340 g.