L.135

An imposing Wild & Wessel lamp (W&W no. 1405) from Historicism. The entire lamp body is made of very elaborately decorated cast zinc with all the attributes of exuberant Historicism ornamentation (women's faces, stylised dragons, lion heads, acanthus leaves, mascarons, flowers, etc.).

Someone from Germany thoughtlessly offered this lamp on eBay UK instead of offering it in Germany. Here, possibly more collectors would have become aware of it, because the seller had also included the base with the W&W number as a photo. So I was lucky enough to buy the lamp at a relatively moderate price.

The lamp with the number 1405 belongs to larger and more imposing W&W lamps from the historicism era (ca. 1880-85). The lamp was almost black and matt when I got it. Therefore, I first had to clean the entire lamp properly and then prime it with dark shoe polish. I bronzed all the raised, decorated areas with Florentine gold. All flat areas were painted with Faubourg Patina and polished. Now the lamp radiates an unusual elegance, because the dark gold tone and the polished black patina harmonise perfectly with each other.

Of course, I have equipped this beautiful lamp with a Central Vulkan burner. And I also got an original Kosmos Vulkan chimney of W&W six months later. A large ball shade from Great Britain complemented the lamp very harmoniously.

Lamp Data

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

Cleaning and repairs:
See above.

Lamp body:
Entire lamp body of ornamental zinc casting with rich Historicism decoration. Base Ø 168 mm. Base and column as one unit. Under the base stamped: 1405.
On the column sits the vase with 2 firmly attached handles. Vase Ø 148 mm, with handles 220 mm. In the vase an additional bowl made of brass sheet.
Drop-in font of colourless transparent glass, cemented under the cast zinc lid, Ø 157 mm.

Burner:
16’’’ Central Vulkan burner of Wild & Wessel, Berlin, with raiser.
Wick knob marked: Logo with circle of stars, for traders.
Deflector marked: 16.
Flame disc as a replica of original Central Vulkan flame disc, marked: 16.
Original Central Vulkan wick of W&W.

Glass chimney:
16’’’ Kosmos Vulkan chimney. Height 294 mm, Ø fitter 58 mm.
Marked: Logo W&W Kosmos Vulkan 16 - D.R. Patent 67719.

Shade and shade holder:
British ball shade, colourless frosted glass, deep-etched Rococo ornamentation, flat top rim.
Height 182 mm, Ø fitter 103 and bulge 194 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 16’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 38.5 cm, total height with chimney 73.5 cm.
Total weight 4950 g.