L.116

A stately lamp by Ignác Fischer from Budapest, splendidly decorated with many cast brass mounts. The lamp was listed from Würzburg only for personal collection; and I was very happy to collect it myself. Lamps of this quality are unfortunately very rare on eBay Germany.

Interestingly, the lamp had a collar from Hinks & Son. So it had been intended for the British market in the past. At some point it came to Germany. They then soldered a normal collar with a thread on top of original collar and finally fitted the lamp with a cheap Kosmos burner and new Vesta shade.

I had to saw off and remove the two soldered collars as they were barely salvageable. However, I cemented back an original Hinks collar. A good Duplex burner from Hinks together with a Duplex chimney as well as an etched ball shade from the UK have completed the lamp as intended.

The ceramic parts are painted in a very typical Ignác Fischer style. The painting and the golden decorative lines are excellently preserved. Only the font lid is darkened by kerosene/paraffin. All three ceramic pieces are marked on the inside with "Fischer J. Budapest". The vase is additionally marked "Patent". The vase and font lid each bear a label (Des. No. 384, Fac. No. 326). The base also has an impressed number 689. The lamp was probably made in 1885-1895. The lamp also exists with differently painted ceramic parts and with threaded collars, but always with the identical brass mounts. From this I gather that the lamp was made entirely by Ignác Fischer and not just the ceramic parts.

Surprisingly, the brass font was perforated at the bottom and soldered shut again. As a cable hole, this would be a typical indication of electrification. But the other parts of the lamp, first and foremost the additional container, are not perforated. This is a mystery, because you can't run a cable through it. Did they abandon the electrification project in the middle of the work? I desoldered the pitifully soldered hole and soldered it again with a cut brass piece.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Font collar, burner incl. globe holder, glass chimney and ball shade.

Cleaning and repairs:
Removed the original collar and cemented a Hinks collar. Soldered the hole at the font again.

Lamp body:
Base of relief-decorated cast brass, on 4 feet, Ø 195 mm.
Upper part of the base and vase of painted ceramic, each marked inside: Fischer J. Budapest. Between the base and the vase a short column of cast brass. Vase with a decorated ring at top rim and two decorated handles. Vase Ø 159 mm, with handles 223 mm. In the vase an additional container of sheet brass.
Drop-in font of sheet brass, firmly attached under the painted ceramic lid. Formerly perforated, now soldered shut. Lid Ø 127 mm. Collar replaced. Collar marked: Hinks & Son's Patent.

Burner:
Duplex burner of Hinks & Son, Birmingham, with gallery lifter and extinguisher. Firmly attached globe holder.
Wick knob marked: Hinks's Duplex No.2. Beige ceramic inlay.
Cap bridge marked: Hinks & Son Patent.
Two flat wicks, each 27 mm. Additional transport wick.

Glass chimney:
Duplex chimney with oval bulge. Height 256 mm, Ø fitter 64 mm.
Marked: Griffin-Brand Fireproof Foreign + griffin.

Shade and shade holder:
British ball shade, colourless glass, frosted, flat transparent Art Nouveau motifs.
Height 183 mm, Ø fitter 103 and bulge 197 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners, marked: Rd. 65891; integral part of the burner.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 36.5 cm, total height with chimney 66.4 cm.
Total weight 4440 g.