L.234

A former Moderator lamp made of painted porcelain from the southern French porcelain manufactory Valentine in Saint-Gaudens, which was famous for its intense cobalt blue. There are still many well-preserved Moderator lamps from this manufactory today, which have either retained their original technique or have been converted into kerosene/paraffin lamps. This lamp was converted to a kerosene/paraffin lamp at some point with an attached glass font.

The lamp body is made of porcelain, on which 6 different floral motifs are painted in separate, richly gold-framed medallions. The space in between is filled with cobalt blue and decorated in gold. The entire golden decoration is exceptionally well preserved, which is unfortunately not the case with most lamps of this manufacture. This lamp is therefore a rare exception.

The stand is made of a very beautifully floral zinc casting with a porcelain central section, which is painted in cobalt blue and gold, just like the lamp. Surprisingly, it shows no traces of earlier bronzing at all. That the stand was not bronzed in gold to match the lamp is somewhat incomprehensible. Stamped under the stand: YU 82.

For this rare, valuable lamp, I have donated a 14’’’ Reform Kosmos burner by Schuster & Baer, with a corresponding Reform chimney by Kalthoff. The deep-etched, colourless tulip shade by St. Louis with a beautiful motif completes the lamp beautifully.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
Stand bronzed with gold wax (Or classique and Laiton).

Lamp body:
Porcelain lamp body by Valentine Saint-Gaudens with 6 painted floral motifs in medallions, framing of cobalt blue and with rich gold decoration, Ø 124 mm (base area Ø 141 mm). Vase closed at the bottom with a metal plate. Stamped on it: P*G.
Crystal glass font, colourless, stepped, elaborately decorated with sliced and facet cut, Ø 145 mm. The font is slightly crooked; not removable.
Own stand of floral-decorative zinc cast on 3 feet (side length 191 mm) with painted porcelain as column. Height 22.5 cm, top Ø 193 mm.

Burner:
14’’’ Reform Kosmos burner of Schuster & Baer, Berlin.
Wick knob marked: Patent Reform-Rund-Brenner. Wick knob back: Logo of Schuster & Baer.
Wick tube marked: Patent.
Flat wick 65 mm.

Glass chimney:
14’’’ Kalthoff chimney. Height 277 mm, Ø fitter 53 mm.
Marked: Kalthoff-Cylinder Gesetzlich geschützt 14''' + K. Lampen Cylinder Kalthoff in a star frame.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade by St. Louis, colourless glass, frosted, deep-etched baroque floral motifs, scalloped top rim.
Height 191 mm, Ø fitter 68 and bulge 145 mm.
70 mm globe holder for 14’’’/15’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Without stand: Height up to collar 37.0 cm, total height with chimney 68.7 cm. Total weight 3540 g.
With stand: Total height 89.4 cm. Total weight 5470 g.