L.342

A charming zinc cast lamp from the Art Nouveau period, probably from France. The lamp captivates with the three female figures carrying a spherical, finely decorated vase. Made around 1900.

The lamp is uniformly made of cast zinc. The base is triangular. On each corner of the triangle stands a young woman in a draped dress with many folds. These female figures carry a larger, spherical, sparsely decorated vase at the back of their heads. The vase is decorated with flowering branches and with a garland ribbon. The small font sits inside the vase. The font lid is also decorated with small flowers. The lamp is a child of Art Nouveau and very probably from France.

Unfortunately, the vase is soldered at a rather slanted angle. This slant cannot be repaired. The lamp must have been electrified in the past, because the vase has a soldered hole at the bottom. Presumably the glass font is a replacement font; otherwise you couldn't run a cable to the top.

I cleaned the lamp thoroughly with steel wool. Then I primed it with shoe polish according to my method and completely re-bronzed it with a mixture of copper and brass wax (Cuivre and Laiton). I brushed the smooth areas of the vase and the font lid with a very dark shoe polish, to which I had added some copper wax, to make the flower decoration stand out better.

A finely etched tulip shade completed the lamp in style, as it supports the cheerful, playful mood of the lamp well.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Glass chimney and tulip shade.

Cleaning and repairs:
Lamp primed with dark shoe polish and re-bronzed (Cuivre + Laiton 1:1).

Lamp body:
Entire lamp body made of cast zinc, copper-plated and then bronzed (bronze layer almost completely rubbed off). On the triangular base are three female figures carrying a spherical vase. Vase and font lid decorated with flowers. Base side length 11.5 cm. Vase Ø 120 mm.
Drop-in font of clear glass, cemented under zinc cast lid. Lid Ø 75 mm.

Burner:
10’’’ Kosmos burner of Brökelmann, Jaeger & Busse, Neheim (Germany).
Wick knob marked: Kosmos Brenner.
Flat wick 50 mm.

Glass chimney:
10’’’ Kosmos chimney. Height 248 mm, Ø fitter 38 mm.
Marked: Cristal Supérieur Made in France 10''' + crown in garland.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, colourless glass, frosted, cameo-etched flowers, fluted top rim.
Height 140 mm, Ø fitter 67 and top rim 150 mm.
70 mm globe holder for 10’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 34.5 cm, total height with chimney 63.0 cm.
Total weight 2240 g.