L.054

A large, heavy Wild & Wessel lamp (W&W no. 1536) from late Historicism, dated ca. 1880-1883. Lamp body made of very elaborately ornamented cast zinc, originally galvanically bronzed. The lamp body consists of four parts and two handles. This lamp is illustrated in the 50th anniversary catalogue 1894 of Wild & Wessel.

When it was originally found, the lamp had been painted with a bronze colour, which had, however, become dark and dull over time. The paint had been applied quite thickly in places, so that the fine cast ornaments underneath were barely visible. In places, this paint had peeled off. The lamp had to be completely freed from this old paint and re-bronzed.

The surface ornamentation is a veritable hymn to historicism. Some of the decorative elements are quite sculptured. There are 6 medallions on the vase, 2 of which contain putti faces. Due to the size and thickness of the material, the lamp is very heavy.

When I got the lamp, it was equipped with a 14''' Kosmos burner by Carl Rakenius. In the catalogue, however, it is shown with a larger burner. In the font collar of the lamp an adaptor for smaller burners had been inserted. After removing this adaptor, I was able to use a 16''' Kosmos burner by Wild & Wessel.

The mighty melon-shaped tulip shade is a lucky find in Belgium. To put it on the 16-line burner I had to make several slots in a 100 mm globe holder for 14'''/15''' burners and widen it to 62 mm inside diameter.

This lamp belongs to the powerful, opulent zinc cast lamps in my collection.

Lamp Data

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

Cleaning and repairs:
I re-cemented the glass font. Old paint removed in NaOH bath. Lamp completely re-bronzed with brass wax (Laiton). Flat parts without ornamentation painted and polished with Revell black paint (Matt 8).

Lamp body:
Base of ornamentally decorated cast zinc, on three feet, side length approx. 18.5 cm. The base marked at the bottom: 1536. Between the base and the vase an ornamental column.
Vase of cast zinc with six medallions, two of them with putti faces. Two screwed-on handles. Vase Ø 196 mm, with handles 256 mm. An additional bowl made of sheet brass in the vase.
Drop-in font of clear, colourless glass, cemented under the lid of cast zinc. Lid Ø 151 mm. Collar thread Ø 48.5 mm.

Burner:
16’’’ Kosmos burner of Wild & Wessel, Berlin, with burner thread 48.3 mm.
Wick knob marked: W&W Kosmos. Wick knob back: Decorative cord of W&W.
Deflector marked: Patent Breveté SGDG.
Flat wick 83 mm.

Glass chimney:
16’’’ Kosmos chimney. Height 280 mm, Ø fitter 58 mm.
Marked: Cristal 16''' + crown in garland.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, conical melon shape, colourless frosted glass, transparent motifs, scalloped top rim.
Height 213 mm, Ø fitter 101 and bulge 191 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 14’’’/15’’’ burners, slotted and adapted to the burner.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 38.8 cm, total height with chimney 71.3 cm.
Total weight 6090 g.