L.221

This lamp has been put together by me and can therefore be described as unique. I had purchased an 18-line Sonnenbrenner of R. Ditmar with the matching kerosene/paraffin tank. This burner has a larger thread than the usual 39.5 mm and therefore does not fit on any lamp with this common collar size. So I had to look for a larger lamp vase to use the burner together with its tank. And I found the right lamp vase, on top of that with beautiful, fully structural dragons as handles, in an antique market near us!

The vase is a hand-painted ceramic vase of Franz Anton Mehlem stoneware factory in Bonn. The attached bottom mark was used between 1875 and 1890. The vase was provided with a bottom hole during manufacture to allow the threaded rod to pass through, which indicates a somewhat later production. The lamp was probably made around 1880-1890.

Since the top rim of the vase was wider than the font lid, I had to make a matching ring from an old, profiled brass ring by sawing it off a lot and carefully bending it, but this also worked extremely well, so that one might think that this ring and the font lid belong together very authentically. Unfortunately, a dragon's foot was broken off. I had Mr. Kühnel (my porcelain repairer) copy this foot with modelling clay. I then bronzed all zinc castings with matching gold wax (copper and brass colours mixed).

Both the glass chimney and the tulip shade are of French origin. The Vianne tulip shade was certainly created much later than the lamp. But it goes well with the lamp in size and colour.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Metal font made of brass, burner with flame disc, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
A brass ring fitted between the font lid and the edge of the vase. Font and lamp base connected with a soldered threaded rod. The broken dragon foot modelled.

Lamp body:
Base made of ornamental openwork cast zinc, electroplated copper bronze, on 3 feet, side length 16 cm. Vase made of hand-painted ceramic by Franz Anton Mehlem, Bonn. On the vase an ornamental mount with two fully sculptural dragons made of cast zinc. Vase Ø 173 mm, with the dragons 240 mm.
Kerosene/paraffin tank made of sheet brass, stepped lid, original font to the burner.

Burner:
18’’’ Sonnenbrenner (= Sun burner) of R. Ditmar, Wien, for export to France. Thread Ø 50.1 mm.
Wick knob marked: : Bec Soleil R. Ditmar.
Wick tube marked: Breveté S.G.D.G.
Original flame disc with small disc on pin, marked: Logo R. Ditmar + oben (= top).
Original burning wick as round wick Ø 29 mm. Original transport wick.

Glass chimney:
20’’’ shoulder chimney. Height 307 mm, Ø fitter 63 mm.
Marked: Kamenz - Cristal de Roche - Soleil 18’’’.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade of Vianne (signed), frosted glass, light pink above, colourless below, cameo-etched flowers, fluted top rim, lipped fitter.
Height 167 mm, Ø fitter 98 and top rim 200 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 45.5 cm, total height with chimney 70.2 cm.
Total weight 4330 g.