L.049

A beautifully ornate Wild & Wessel piano lamp, yet well distinguished from the other piano lamps with strict Art Nouveau style by Kleemann, K&T, etc. It is illustrated in Schubert & Sorge's 1897 catalogue (among other W&W lamps also marketed by S&S). There is no indication at all of Wild & Wessel authorship, with the exception of the kerosene/paraffin filler neck, which is indeed by W&W (info from a collector friend who has been collecting W&W lamps for decades).

The lamp used to be electrified. The two electric cables were still inside. The filler neck was perforated in the middle to insert a porcelain ring for cable routing. I glued this hole shut with an iron washer.

The 10-line burner supplied was a combination (wick tube from K&T, basket from SI Paris). Therefore I exchanged the burner with a burner from Brökelmann, Jaeger & Busse, to which a 190 mm shade holder was already soldered. This allowed me to use a beautiful white Vesta shade in an Art Nouveau shape. A special holder for a possibly better fitting cardboard shade was missing; therefore I had to choose the classic version with Vesta shade.

This lamp is the second W&W lamp in my collection that does not (yet) carry a W&W burner.

The lamp body is very well nickel-plated; there are no rubbed-off spots. This lamp completes my small series of German piano lamps (see Other Household Lamps).

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner with soldered shade holder, glass chimney and Vesta shade.

Cleaning and repairs:
The kerosene/paraffin supply pipe was leaking at the connection point to the ornamental arm. I glued the leak with Stabilit^®.

Lamp body:
Base of flat turned black serpentine, Ø 150 mm. Inside the base a heavy lead weight.
Lamp body of nickel-plated, ornamentally pressed brass sheet. The lateral burner arm made of nickel-plated, baroque decorated cast brass.
Lamp body is at the same time font. Extra filler original from W&W.

Burner:
10’’’ Kosmos burner of Brökelmann, Jaeger & Busse, Neheim (Germany), soldered to the shade holder.
The burner is soldered to the shade holder.
Wick knob marked: Kosmos-Brenner.
Flat wick 52 mm.

Glass chimney:
10’’’ Kosmos chimney. Height 225 mm, Ø fitter 40 mm.
Marked: Logo of Wensel, Soest.

Shade and shade holder:
Vesta shade, white milk glass, Art Nouveau shape, top rim waved and flat rolled.
Height 138 mm, Ø fitter 187 and bulge 222 mm.
190 mm shade holder for 10’’’ burners; soldered to the burner.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 20.3 cm, total height with chimney 35.8 cm.
Total weight 3720 g.