L.123
This extraordinary Wild & Wessel lamp was created in concept within a few minutes. I had received one of these rare flat W&W shades with another lamp. When a collector friend heard about it, he immediately offered me a W&W column lamp for sale that would fit the shade well.
Although the lamp has a simple, square base and therefore cannot be compared with the higher quality column lamps from W&W with ornamental feet, it has a very beautifully cut crystal font with the W&W-typical undermount, and is thus quite clearly identifiable as a W&W lamp. The lamp is not shown in this simple form in W&W's 1894 anniversary catalogue. However, it can be recognised in an extremely rare W&W catalogue from 1902/03, which is only fragmentarily preserved. There it is listed with three different stone columns: No. 3231 with red stone (probably porphyry), No. 3232 with onyx (probably onyx marble) and No. 3411 with malachite. Alabaster column is not mentioned. It is also illustrated in the 1897 Schubert & Sorge catalogue (page 14, lamp 66), but with a different crystal font.
To use the mighty shade on the lamp, I had to assemble a special shade holder partly from my own pieces. The actual shade holder had come with the shade, but was designed for a 14''' Kosmos burner. So I had to make the lower ring for the burner myself.
These flat shades are shown in the Jubilee catalogue with textile hangings, made of pleated fabric or similarly draped lace. After much searching, I was able to find a cotton fabric border with beautiful eyelet embroidery. In order to show the pattern to its best advantage, I did without drapery and stuck the border flat to the shade with double-sided adhesive tape. I sewed a white cotton fabric underneath the border to create a pleasant light effect without a direct flame view. A gold coloured decorative ribbon covered the upper edge of the fabric hanging.
This lamp got a 16''' Central Vulkan burner and the matching chimney. When burning, the lamp emits a bright yet very pleasant light. It is a very good example of how W&W have been able to conjure up an extremely appealing lighting atmosphere and very good task lighting from correctly dimensioned column lamps, innovative burners and flat, projecting shades.
Lamp Data
Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, glass shade with fabric hanging and shade carrier.
Cleaning and repairs:
I soldered the special shade carrier together from three pieces. I cut the fabric border and the under fabric to fit, sewed and glued to the shade.
Lamp body:
Base of square cast zinc plate under a profiled alabaster plinth, 124 x 124 mm. Conical column of alabaster, with base and capital of cast zinc.
Font of ornamentally cut crystal glass, Ø 151 mm. Font undermount by W&W, fixed with zinc cast connector. Font can be unscrewed from the threaded rod.
Burner:
16’’’ Central Vulkan burner of Wild & Wessel, Berlin, with raiser.
Wick knob marked: W&W Central Vulkan.
Deflector marked: 16.
Original Central Vulkan flame disc, marked: Central Vulkan 16 W.&W.
Original wick Central Vulkan W&W, marked: 16.
Glass chimney:
16’’’ Central Vulkan chimney. Height 295 mm, Ø fitter 58 mm.
Marked: A. Robert - D.R. Patent 31839 - 16.
Shade and shade holder:
Flat shade made of white milk glass, original shade by Wild & Wessel, flat top rim.
Height 80 mm, Ø fitter 300 and bulge 335 mm.
The special shade carrier is soldered together from 3 different parts:
a) Original W&W shade carrier with 3 arms, which carry a brass gallery on top, on which the shade is placed;
b) a 85 mm globe holder for 20''' burners, slightly reduced in inner diameter by using
c) a brass ring with 62 mm inner diameter.
Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 36.8 cm, total height with chimney 71.3 cm.
Total weight 3900 g.
