L.163
A very large ceramic lamp by Ignác Fischer (Budapest) with splendidly decorated brass mounts, clearly made for stately villas and palaces of the aristocratic or upper classes. The ceramic vase alone, with its very elaborate, intricate openwork, which is also hand-painted in great detail, must have taken several days of work.
The lamp was in electrified condition. That was probably the reason why I was able to buy it at all. I replaced the burner with an electric socket with a large burner from Gebr. Brünner in Vienna. Surprisingly, the cable hole was already soldered shut.
The huge vase flaunts very detailed piercing work that is also meticulously hand-painted. Here and there you see cracks that look like fractures; but when you look from the inside, you notice that these cracks do not go through to the inside; they are obviously firing defects from the firing process of the pottery and are also painted right into the cracks. There are also four large, irregularly shaped medallions, whose painting reminds me of Japanese landscapes. The vase is signed by Ignác Fischer. In addition to the signature, the vase bears the embossed number 1433. Only a few dabs of blue paint are missing from the narrow foot section and medallions.
The metal mounts are also of the highest quality; very intricately designed and perfectly cast. I have freed them from the blackish-brown patina and polished them to a shine with steel wool. The same lamp also exists with other metal mounts as well as with a font lid made of matching painted ceramics.
The burner to be used on this precious lamp was of course a first-class burner from Vienna, the 20’’’ Brillant Reform burner from Gebr. Brünner, according to the motto "nobility obliges". This large, rare burner uses a tubular wick as the combustion wick and two separate, soft transport wicks. Fortunately, the original wicks were still in the burner. I also luckily got the rare pinch/ball chimney on eBay.
The usual tulip shades and ball shades from European production proved to be too small for the large lamp. As an alternative, an American ball shade was the best fit in terms of size and painting.
All in all, this lamp is a very magnificent and valuable lamp in my collection with museum qualities.
Lamp Data
Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, ball shade and globe holder.
Cleaning and repairs:
Not neccesary.
Lamp body:
Base of elaborately decorated, multiple openwork brass casting, on 4 feet, Ø 23 cm.
Large vase of openwork and hand-painted ceramic in baluster form, signed Fischer J. Budapest (impressed number 1433). 4 large medallions with elaborate painting. Gold lines still well preserved. Vase Ø 226 mm. In the vase an additional container made of sheet brass.
Drop-in font made of sheet brass, soldered under the brass lid, lid Ø 177 mm. Hole for cable routing soldered shut.
Burner:
20’’’ Brillant Reform burner of Gebr. Brünner, Vienna.
Wick knob marked: Gebrüder Brünner Wien.
Original flame disc (large disc on pin), marked: 20''' Reform Pat.
Original round wick Ø 32 mm. Two original transport wicks.
Glass chimney:
20’’’ pinch/ball chimney. Height 323 mm, Ø fitter 63 mm.
Marked: Cristal de Bohême (in a baroque frame) - Fabriqué en Bohême 20'''.
Shade and shade holder:
Ball shade from USA, white milk glass, painted flowers and golden tendrils, partly rubbed.
Height 210 mm, Ø fitter 103 and bulge 225 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners.
Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 49.5 cm, total height with chimney 86.9 cm.
Total weight 5630 g.
