L.177

This lamp and its "twin sister" L.178 are real highlights in my collection, as they consist of two wonderfully shaped, "narrative" porcelain groups from the famous porcelain manufacturer Royal Dux Bohemia and are extremely rare.

I discovered both lamps at an auction house near us. However, they were not identifiable as lamps, as all the usual parts of a lamp (i.e. font, burner, chimney, shade) were missing. Only the porcelain bases were offered, the real meaning of which could not be recognized. Since the pillars each had a large, circular opening at the top, candlesticks were more likely to be thought of.

However, I had seen one of these lamps once on eBay UK. At a price around £ 900 it was definitively out of my reach. The picture of this lamp came to my mind as soon as I discovered these porcelain groups, and I knew immediately that these pieces were the genuine bases of kerosene/paraffin lamps. I was able to purchase both cheaply and complete them as good as I could.

The first of the two lamps, L.177, is known per se in other respects. It is based on an oil painting by the German illustrator and painter Paul Thumann. The painting is called "Art brings favour". The painter has painted an almost Arcadian genre scene in which a young Hellenic artist paints an amphora in a hut and is benevolently observed by a young woman standing at the doorway. It is evident that the man's artistic activity attracts the young woman's favour. This painting was so famous at the end of the 19th century that numerous porcelain plates with the same motif were created. The internet portals show many examples of these imitations. However, I could not find out whether and where the original painting exists.

The lamp consists of a large porcelain group with an Ionic column: a young man who is sitting on an old wall at the foot of the column paints an amphora, and a young woman who stands leaning against the column looks at him. This group is a skilful transformation of the original painting into a three-dimensional sculpture, grouped around an ionic column.

As described above, the lamp "tells" an ancient, Hellenistic scene. The figures and the staffage are very finely formed and also very finely painted. The lamp base is likely to have been made between 1890 and 1900, as the manufactory's famous signature (pink, triangular porcelain plaque), which was only used after 1900, is missing here.

One big downer was the break that went through between the painter's body and the seat. That was also the reason for the greatly reduced price. But I was able to have the damage professionally repaired by my porcelain restorer Hubert Kühnel.

To attach the glass font, I attached a brass rosette that would fit the undermount of the font to the upper opening of the Ionic column with the help of a hinged dowel and screwed the font onto it.

The rest of the lamp's equipment is completely identical to L.178: burners, wicks, glass chimneys, globe holders and tulip shades are identical every time. It was a great luck that I was able to find two identical, matching tulip shades!

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Glass font, burner with flame disc, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
Porcelain repairs and repainting by Mr. Kühnel.

Lamp body:
The lamp base is a painted porcelain group consisting of a column, two figures, masonry and accessories. The base is square, 160 x 160 mm. Embossed under the base: 126 and 2. The column has a large opening at the top for a font. Height of the porcelain group 39.8 cm.
Font made of cranberry-coloured glass, enamel painting, rubbed gold paint, Ø 162 mm, undermount thread 22.7 mm. The font can be unscrewed.

Burner:
15’’’ Matador burner of Ehrich & Graetz, Berlin.
Wick knob marked: Matador 15’’’. Black glass insert.
Burner marked: 15’’’ Matador.
Original flame disc with hat on sieve tube, marked: 15’’’ Matador.
Flat wick 77 mm.

Glass chimney:
15’’’ Matador chimney. Height 261 mm, Ø fitter 52 mm.
Marked: Schutz-Marke - Logo E&G - 15’’’ Wunder - 16’’’ Salvator - Prima Boheems Glas.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, colourless glass, frosted, cameo-etched ornamentation, fluted top rim.
Height 127 mm, Ø fitter 91 and top rim 225 mm.
95 mm globe holder for 14’’’/15’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 54.8 cm, total height with chimney 85.5 cm.
Total weight 3300 g.