L.277

A rare, magnificent porcelain lamp of stately size, with rococo ornamentation in relief, exuberantly painted with the finest rose motifs and richly decorated with gold lines. A dream lamp found on eBay USA! However, there was some damage to the top of the column (broken off, missing pieces), which must have made other collectors very reluctant to buy it. I was the only bidder to get the lamp at a very reasonable price! I was very pleased, as I knew that Mr Kühnel would have repaired the damaged areas very well...

When I held the lamp in my hands, my joy was dampened: the lamp had been electrified earlier, and the electric cable had been led up through the column and taken out at the connection point between the column and the font, in order to reach the burner from the outside without having to drill the font. The font was then plastered back into place, but now at an angle because the electric cable was taking up space. This inclination of the font was not visible in the photos. Mr Kühnel was unable to get the font off the column. There was nothing else to do but to saw off the font at the connection point to the column with a fine diamond flex disc. The rest of the repair and the professional gluing of the font were again the work of Mr Kühnel.

The base has an overglaze mark on the bottom, but this has been rubbed off quite badly, making it illegible. Another bottom mark has been literally scratched off. Quite puzzling. I suspect that the lamp is British in origin and was exported to the USA. The seller had also suggested that the lamp was either British or French. My request to knowledgeable collectors: if anyone knows more about this lamp or at least knows of other porcelain objects with the same or similar painting, please let me know.

I have completed the lamp with an old Duplex burner from Holmes, Booth & Haydens, with the matching new 3 inch glass chimney and with a large tulip shade in shades of pink. It is one of the most beautiful porcelain lamps in my collection and must have once been in a very wealthy American household.

Lamp Data

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

Cleaning and repairs:
The font was separated from the column with a diamond flex disc. Mr Kühnel glued the font in place, repaired the porcelain and painted over it.

Lamp body:
Base, column and font of hand-painted porcelain with relief ornamentation and golden painting. Lush rose motifs in finest painting. Handwritten inscription on the base: 39 (at the transition to the column). Porcelain marked, but illegible. Another mark erased. Base 20 x 20 cm.
The font was cemented in crookedly due to earlier electrification. Sawed off and glued on again. Ø 169 mm. Font collar for #3 USA burner.

Burner:
USA #3 Duplex burner of Holmes, Booth & Haydens, USA, with extinguisher.
Extinguisher lever marked: Pat. Sept.25.1888.
Two wick knobs, marked: H. B. & H.
Two flat wicks, each 32 mm.

Glass chimney:
USA #3 Vienna type chimney. Height 254 mm, Ø fitter 76 mm.
New production without brand.

Shade and shade holder:
British tulip shade, transparent glass, cranberry top, light pink bottom, mould-blown, fluted top rim.
Height 189 mm, Ø fitter 102 and top rim 205 mm.
100 mm globe holder for USA #3 burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 53.8 cm, total height with chimney 81.5 cm.
Total weight 4250 g.