WorthPoint member Jeremy T. picked up this pair of “bronze” lamps at a garage sale last year, but never did anything with them. Now that his garage is in need of a sale, he wants to know if they are worth more than the $42 he paid for them. He contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about pieces, their origin and value.

Jeremy T. has a pair of “bronze” lamps that he picked up at a garage sale last year, but never did anything with them. They’ve been boxed away in his own garage since the day he brought them home. Now that it’s time to pare down his own overstuffed garage, Jeremy has decided to find out what they are and what they are worth before retagging them for the $42 he originally paid. If they turn out to be valuable in any way, they will make a move from his garage to the living room. Jeremy contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about the pieces, their origins and their value. His inquiry was forwarded to me. Here’s his question:

“I bought this pair of bronze lamps about a year ago for $42 and promptly stuffed them into my own already crowded garage, still in the box they came in (price tag and all). I’ve decided my own garage is in need of a sale, as I can scarcely get the car in and open the passenger door now. The lamps have a pair of cherubs, they measure about 20 inches tall, and one is marked “L’amour Vainquerr” the other is marked “L’Amour Vagabond.” I know they have to be worth more than I paid, but it is how much more that I’m curious about. If they turn out to be anything special, I’ll put them in the living room. If not, I’ll put them in the sale.”

Here’s my response:

Your cherub lamps are circa-1900-examples after the style of Emile Bruchon (French, 1806-1895), a very well-known Parisian sculptor. He worked from 1880 through 1910, first training under the famous artist Mathurin Moreau, and exhibited his sculptures at the famed Salon de Paris. Generally, figurines used as lamp pedestals are of two types: those that are custom-made pieces, using existing 18th- or 19th-century figures in their construction; and those that use late 19th- to mid -20th-century, factory-made figures and were “ready made” as lamps.

Your lamps are not bronze, but are actually made of something called spelter*, a zinc alloy that’s often given a bronze patina and is of the second variety which uses factory made components. Most lamps of this type are Continental pieces, made during the first quarter of the 20th century. These bronze and spelter studies by 19th-century sculptors were often based on full-sized examples, the right to copy them in various sizes licensed to foundries by the original sculptor. That said, pieces “in the style of,” or even precise copies, were often produced without license to take advantage of the popularity of an artist without having to share the profits with them.

The authorized/licensed examples generally will have foundry marks, while the unmarked figures tend to be later pieces made for the mass market. Examples similar to these pieces are still being reproduced today by a number of foundries in both North America and China, which has depressed values for older examples.

Lamps comparable to yours now sell in the $600-$800 range for a pair. It looks like you’ll need to find some space in your living room for these cherubs.

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* You can test for spelter at home: just remove the base and do the following test. Take a nail file and scratch the underside; spelter will show as a silvery streak under the bronze plating.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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As reward for helping some friends pack for a move, Susan M. received this nickel-plated Victorian student lamp. Not know exactly what she had, or how much it was worth, she consulted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service.

As reward for helping some friends pack for a move, Susan M. received what she believed to be a Victorian library oil lamp. But after inspection, and without finding any maker’s marks, she thought she might have a reproduction. So she turned to WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to see what she might have. The question was forwarded to me. Here is her question:

“I was given this oil lamp a couple of years ago after helping some people pack up and move cross country. It kind of looks like ones you see in Victorian universities and libraries in old movies, but the people who gave it to me didn’t have any old stuff in the house, so I’m not sure exactly what I have. I checked it all over and there are no markings on it that I can see, but I think it must be a reproduction. Most of the ones I’ve seen similar to this were brass and this one looks it is chrome-plated. I really don’t have any need for it, but don’t want to sell it until I know if it’s a reproduction or the real thing.”

After a little checking, I was able to shine some light on Susan’s query. This is what I was able to tell her:

You were right to curious about your lamp; there are many reproductions of this type of lamp around, but the vast majority of the reproductions are, in fact, brass. Victorian oil lamps of this type are most often referred to as “student lamps,” as they were originally designed to eliminate under shadow and improve the downward light. Student lamps are designed around a center post, balanced by the fount on one side and the burner/shade on the other. They were made in both single & double varieties and generally they were of two types: the earlier versions with the oil font separate from the burner (the font on one side, the tubular wick burner on the other); and the more familiar, later style with an adjustable stand holding a standard oil lamp with a combined font and flat wick burner.

Most lamps of this type date from the last quarter of the 19th century and were either brass or nickel plated, and yours appears to a genuine nickel-plated example dating from this period. Values for student lamps depend a great deal on their maker, condition and the shade. Many of the “big name” makers marked their lamps on places such as the wick adjustment knob or the burner, often with patent dates, so give you lamp another look over.

In good condition, comparable student lamps with their original or a period shade intact can sell in the $400-$650 range.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Jason B. bough this alabaster lamp at a self storage sale not knowing a thing about it. By using WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthoilogist,” he now knows a little more about his buy.

Jason B., taking advantages of some really terrible weather during a sale of forfeited items at a self storage business, bought what he thought was a marble lamp. Not knowing anything about it other than it was wrapped in newspapers from the 1960s, Jason turned to WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to find out what he had. The question was forwarded to me. Here is Jason’s question:

“This marble lamp was bought at a auction sale held at one of those self storage places. It was in a box with some bits and pieces of china. I didn’t pay a lot for it, but then it was pouring down rain and windy. There were not a lot of people left at the auction towards the end when I bought the contents of the box. It looks pretty old, and has a name scribed on it that looks like “Mascogni,” but it is hard to read. The newspapers it was wrapped in dated to the 1960s, but who knows?”

I was able first to determine that it was made of and then was able to tell Jason the value of other lamps like his made by the same artist. He made a good buy, even if he had to suffer through a rainy sale. This is what I was able to tell him:

Looking at your images, this lamp is Italian and is not actually soapstone; it’s Alabaster. Alabaster is a fine-grain gypsum that has been used for centuries for statuary, carvings and other ornaments. It normally is snow-white and translucent, but can be artificially dyed. It may be made to look similar in appearance to marble by heat treatment. You can test for alabaster very simply: alabaster rates 2-2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale*, and can be scratched with an old copper penny. Marble is harder, rating 3-5 and generally can be scratched with a pen knife blade.

Most lamps of this type are Continental pieces made during the first quarter of the 20th century. Some are marked, but quite often the markings are not visible, hidden under a base plate or felt pad on the bottom. The figures themselves are most often based on 18th- & 19th-century porcelain examples produced by Meissen or Sevres. Figures used as lamp pedestals are of two types: those that are custom made pieces, using existing 18th- or 19th- century statuary converted to a lamp; or those that use late 19th- to mid 20th- century figures and were “ready made” as lamps.

This lamp is of the second variety which uses components originally meant to be fitted as figural lamps. The artist whose name is inscribed, “Mascogni,” is unknown. Values for these alabaster lamps vary depending on the quality of the carving, subject matter and their size. This one is in very good shape, I’ve seen other lamps signed “Mascogni” go at recent auction sales in the $1,300-$1,800 range.

*The Mohs scale was devised by Friedrich Mohs in 1812. It’s a 1-10 scale used to indicate the hardness of materials; diamonds being rated “10” as the hardest, talc being the softest at “1.” Each mineral on the list being capable of scratching the one below it as a test of hardness.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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https://www.worthpoint.com/askWorthologist/index

This Tiffany Seven-Light Lily Lamp with Gold Dore Base is one of the most innovative styles of the Tiffany lamps. Originally selling for $80 100 years ago, it sold for $21,850 (including the buyer’s premium) in October 2006.

A century ago, people who wanted to buy fine American-made electric lighting fixtures were presented with a bewildering array of choices.

The premier company to was Tiffany Studios, with a showroom at the corner of Madison Avenue and 45th Street in New York City and workshops in Corona, N.Y. From 1893, when Louis Comfort Tiffany sent two hanging fixtures to the Chicago World’s Fair, Tiffany Studios set the standard in innovative design and unsurpassed quality. More than 500 designs for lamp bases and lampshades were produced by Tiffany Studios. These included student lamps with Tiffany favrile shades, ornate mosaic glass lamps, favrile lamps, table lamps with ornate bronze bases, floor lamps and hanging chandeliers for every decor.

Tiffany Studios lamps were the finest lighting products available, and were expensive even in 1906. According to the Oct. 1, 1906, price list, an 18-light drop cluster pond lily lamp would cost $125, while a smaller 7-light pond lily lamp was priced at $80. Considering that in 1906 the average hourly wage was about 17 1/2 cents, purchase of a Tiffany lamp was not a casual investment.

Another popular American lamp manufacturer was The Pairpoint Company of New Bedford, Mass. The company started as an offshoot of the Mount Washington Glass Company, already well known for its Royal Flemish, Crown Milano and Burmese art glass. In 1907, the company received a patent for the production of three-dimensional shades, today known as “puffies.” These lamps, primarily floral and fruit motifs, were ornate, extremely feminine and complimented most decors. Pairpoint’s more than 100 lamps, available on more than 350 bases, were sold at the finest department stores across the country. Today, the name Pairpoint is most often linked with the wonderfully innovative “Pairpoint Puffy” lamp.

This Pairpoint Puffy closed top 13-inch shade with large red roses and green leaves, supported on an original signed Pairpoint base with molded grapes and leaves, sold for $9,775 (including the buyer’s premium) in February of 2007.

This Handel Reverse Painted Floral #7032 on Rookwood base sold for 10,350 (including the buyer’s premium) in October of 2006.

By 1906, The Handel Company of Meriden, Conn. had been in business for 21 years and was advertising regularly in popular magazines. It produced lamp globes, fine painted porcelain, electric and gas table lamps, smoking articles and holiday novelties. Handel is most famous for its 18-inch, obverse-painted and inside-(reverse) painted lampshades, which exemplified a change from leaded portable lamps to a less expensive but elegant lamp that coordinated well with Arts and Crafts, art nouveau and art deco furnishings.

Handel used bases from various American potteries such as Rookwood, Grueby and Hampshire. Glass blanks, purchased primarily from the Rodefer Brothers Glassworks of Bellaire, Ohio, were decorated with original designs by Handel artists and matched with an appropriate white metal base finished with one of several colored patinas. Decorations fell into many categories—flowers, birds, readily recognized American landscapes such as Yosemite and the Connecticut River Valley, and simple geometric borders. All were aggressively marketed to upscale jewelry and department stores across the United States.

This a very rare Tiffany Moorish Chandelier with pulled feather and lily lights brought an astounding $59,800 (including the buyer’s premium) at an October 6, 2006 auction.

This 18-inch leaded glass geometric shade in blue-green mottled glass, supported by a rare Tiffany bronze base of urn form with paw feet on flat disk, sold for $17,825 (including the buyer’s premium) in an October 2006 auction.

As with most businesses that catered to the upper middle class, the gradual change in the economic climate and the onset of the Great Depression ended the production of many of these beautiful lighting devices, treasured by today’s collectors.

Tips for Collecting Art Glass Lamps

1. Determine how much you are willing to spend. Depending on whether you are interested in a modest art glass boudoir lamp or a rare Tiffany lighting fixture, the purchase price can be considerable and is truly an investment.

2. Become knowledgeable about the type of lamp you wish to purchase. Many reference books are available that can give you valuable insight about the manufacturers, designs, styles and components to assist you in authenticating your selection. Go to shows where major galleries display their inventory. Check out the Internet. Many auction houses and galleries have excellent web sites that will allow you to view available items. Ask lots of questions.

3. Only do business with a reputable gallery, auction house or other seller who will guarantee the authenticity of what they sell. Many high-quality reproductions exist, which can confuse an inexperienced buyer, and new shades are often “married” to old bases.

4. Carefully examine all the components of a lamp for damage. Very minor nicks and patina issues may not significantly reduce the value of a lamp, but major condition issues such as cracks and chips to the glass and heavy pitting to the metal should be avoided.

Dr. Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series “History Detectives” and is a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” He can be reached via email at info [at] historicamericana [dot] com.

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An example of a pierced “Paul Revere” lantern. This one is made of copper.

When we see lanterns used as decorative objects, it’s hard to imagine that they were once among the only sources for lighting.

As such, they were made to be hung, carried, placed on a table or applied to a wall. Each was designed for a specific use inside and out. Most also had one panel that could be opened to change the candle or add oil. Since the 1920s there have been serious collectors. However, the good news is that many of these collections have been scattered over the years. Not everybody fancies lanterns. These days many, from the vast variety of styles made, come to market or are discovered in basements and attics. So many different types were made that there is hope for beginning collectors…if they know what to look for.

In America lanterns weren’t in general use until the 1820s.

Some of those early lanterns used candles, while others were lit with small oil lamps. This type had glass windows. In England, the windows were thinly scraped horn; a rarity in the Colonies. It is the pierced, conical shape, tin lantern—known as the “Paul Revere” lantern—that has become most familiar and popular with collectors.

One of the reasons is that there were so many different, pierced designs. Pierced styles were also made in sheet brass and copper. There were also carved wood frames. Some were quite elegant with graduated tiers of piercing patterns. The more intricate the pierced pattern the more decorative the effect when lit; almost lacy.

By the end of the 18th century wealthy Americans wanted more and better. Highly decorative lanterns were imported from England and France to hang around their houses. Work was put into etching designs into brass and bronze frames. The glass also took the form of unusual shaped globes, or was cut, etched and colored. Few have survived with the original glass. The earliest used candles, but by the 1840s whale oil was used.

An example of a pierced-tin lantern.

A detailed photograph of the pierced-tin lantern’s door

The lantern collecting field isn’t limited to house lanterns.

There are the ever-popular carriage lanterns from Victorian times, as well as railroad and ship lanterns.

Dayton Mfg. Co. Railraod Conductor's Lantern

Dietz Little Wizard Red Globe Barn Lantern

Vintage Dietz Street Work Lantern

Huge Ship's Anchor Lantern w/ Fresnel Lens

CLUES: Because of their charm, the pierced tin lantern has been reproduced since the 1920s and offered as such in mail order catalogs. Sorry to say, even in the ’20s, unscrupulous dealers were aging them artificially. Be suspicious of a rusted tin lanterns Also, offered in catalogs are carriage lanterns. Museum gift shops have also reproduced lanterns in their collections.

Some of the most beautiful examples of colored and etched used in the mid-19th century lanterns were made in America as well as Europe. Always examine them carefully for a maker’s name, such as the “New England Glass Co.”

—by Anne Gilbert

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Worthologists Thom Pattie and Christopher Kent and Dan “The Man in the WorthPoint Van” Borsey were on hand to represent WorthPoint at the show and give expert appraisal of the hundreds of items that were brought in.

Winnowing from the chaff

As with most appraisal events, there is a lot to winnow before the gems appear. This show was no exception. One item that was fascinating and expertly preserved was a five-shilling note issued and signed Jan. 1, 1776. Its book value was about $150 to $200, and as a piece of history, it was invaluable.

Five-shilling note

Another piece of history appeared in the form of a knife with an attached engraved metal plate bearing the name Jessie James. There was, like many of the pieces that came in over the three-day period, a story attached. It seems it was acquired from a collector of knives who had amassed many. There the story ends. Background and provenance, questionable, interesting, but not substantive enough to put a value on the piece. It should be noted that on the reverse of the knife, etched into the bone handle was Kearney, Missouri June 5 1876, the date Jessie’s brother, Frank, was married.

Jesse James knife

Real or contrived, the piece did provoke interest and debate among the appraisers. The consensus—the value was at a few hundred dollars without the addition of documented proof of authenticity.

Looks may be deceiving in the next item that appeared in the form of a last-quarter, 19th-century “Pairpoint” desk lamp with scenic shade. Although it had the look, feel and smell of a genuine Pairpoint lamp, the maker’s mark was etched not stamped into the base. While the shade was, indeed, scenic and beaded, it just did not ring true. The verdict—a nice lamp at a couple of hundred dollars. Had it been the real deal, value would have been upward of $5,000.

"Pairpoint" lamp

The crowning jewel of the show was an extraordinary ceramic piece done in the Art Nouveau style by the pre-eminent entrepreneur in the field of the ceramic industry, Bernard Bloch. Marked BB on the base, numbered and signed, this incredibly graceful piece, circa 1900, matched, if not surpassed, the works of Bloch’s fellow Czech/Bohemian ceramic makers, Johann Maresch and Julius Dressler.

Bloch Art Nouveau

The piece was originally purchased at Brimfield a year before for fewer than $500. It’s important to note that many collectors of Nouveau porcelains and ceramics are turning full attention to the Bohemian ceramics makers and designers and are vying for prized pieces such as this one. A conservative value of $2,500 was placed on the piece, and the owner went away happy.

– By Christopher Kent, a member of the WorthPoint board of advisers and director of evaluations for WorthPoint. He is also an antiques and collectibles generalist, fine-arts broker and president of CTK Design.

(All photos by Dan Borsey)

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WorthPoint is getting to be a regular fixture at Brimfield, the thrice-yearly outdoor antique fair along Route 1 in Brimfield, Mass. With about 5,000 dealers set up in tents about a half a mile on either side of this otherwise rural country road, there is much to see. Dan Borsey, “The Man in the WorthPoint Van,” provides another glimpse at the treasures offered by one of the dealers, Sunnybrook Antiques, located at The Meadows, one of the dozen or so independent “shows” at Brimfield.

Jim and Jill Elias, proprietors of Sunnybrook Antiques of Swedesboro, N.J., are experienced auctioneers and appraisers who have been setting up in Brimfield since 1974. “We like to invite people in to see our merchandise; it’s like inviting them into our home. We meet a lot of wonderful people who become our repeat customers,” Jill says.

As auctioneers and appraisers for the past 30 years, the Elias’ have seen quite a number of great items come and go through their auction gallery. At Brimfield, Jim featured a series of hand-painted “Gone with the Wind”-style electric lamps. “The lamps are from the 1940’s. They are electrified copies of the oil lamps of the 1800s that were made to look like the oil burners. To me, they are just beautiful decorations for the home.” These hand-painted electric lamps have had an auction value from $75 to $200, depending on condition and style as found in WorthPoint’s Worthopedia.

Sometimes finding unusual items in the homes is not so unusual at all. However, where you find them sometimes is. Take these complete ladies dresser sets—in green silk and mother of pearl frame around a circular mirror—for example. “It has the original frames, the picture frames, the comb, right down to the earrings,” Jim says. “They had eight of these stacked under the eaves of the house.” They were all found in their original 1940’s era boxes, completely unused. Each of them are still in their original bright, vibrant color that includes the brush, comb, nail clippers, perfume bottles, powder jars, and atomizers, a complete 14-piece beauty set packaged in an art Deco style. WorthPoint’s Worthopedia shows a similar version selling at auction for $176 in 2004.

Another interesting find is an early 20th century mantel clock by Winterhauer of Germany, known for its quality movements. Manufactured during a 35-year period, the company produced the wind up clock in wood as a decorative piece in the traditional low-swept style common for a clock featured on a fireplace mantel. The first traditional mantel clock was developed in France in the middle of the 18th century and were characterized by the lack of a carrying handle. The mechanism of this particular clock is in complete working order. “They typically bring from $400 to $4,000 on the internet,” Elias says.

The couple also has a very large collection of late 19th to the early 20th century glassware, china, porcelain, books and reverse painted picture frames available at their outside booth at The Meadows during the antique season at Brimfield, Massachusetts. So visit them when you can.

Watch a video featuring Jim and Jill Elias at Bromfield here.

Tom Carrier is a general Worthologist, with an expertise in a wide variety of subjects.

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This Handle Company lamp, which was stored away for 40 years, emerged worth $1,000 to $1,500.

Every now and again we are asked about items that, at first glance, would be considered to be yard sale material or of just sentimental value. As an appraiser, first impressions of a antique or collectible are important, but must be backed up by proper identification and market research. Below is an item we have examined recently that was stored away for years; its identity and value unknown to its owner.

The piece in question is a flowered glass lamp shade and lamp (still packed away). The shade measures approximately 7 1/2 inches high by 5 inches wide. Upon further examination, it was found to be marked “Handel 7093.” To the general public the name “Handel” doesn’t mean much; the Handel Company began in 1885 as a partnership between Philip Julius Handel, age 19, and Adolph Eydam, age 21. The company, founded as Eydam & Handel, opened its doors in a small building located at the corner of Miller and Catlin Streets in Meriden, Conn. The company specialized in glass decorating and lamp manufacturing. In 1892, Eydam took a job at a rival company, at which point, Eydam and Handel became The Handel Company. In 1902, Handel opened a foundry, which allowed all lamp bases to be designed and produced in-house to compliment the lamp shades. The company closed during the 1930′s, a victim of changing styles and the Depression.

Today Handel lamps can be “the stuff of dreams” to dealers, who know the company as being one of the most famous producers of decorative lamps during the turn of the 19th century, and whose lamps can sell for more than $25,000. In the case of this small shade and the matching base, its value is not quite that spectacular, about $1,000 to $1,500 in today’s market, but not bad for something found stored away for 40 years.

Mike Wilcox
Wilcox & Hall Appraisers

This is the first of a series of articles on the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company. Over the next few weeks I will cover the Art Deco period and art glass giftware line.

History

Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company was established in 1893 when two firms, Wallace and McAfee Company of Pittsburgh and Fostoria Shade &Lamp Company of Ohio, merged. They began production at the old plant in Ohio, but after a devastating fire in 1895, relocated to Coraopolis, Pa. where a large, new factory was built.

The main wares produced by Consolidated were lamps, globes, and shades. They made both decorative and utilitarian globes for commercial and residential lighting. In addition, they made pattern glass tableware including sugar shakers, butter dishes and pitcher sets. By 1910, Consolidated Glass and Lamp Company was the largest lighting glass company in the United States and employed over 400 workers.

Production

The intricate patterns that were produced at the factory showcased the designs that were in fashion during the Victorian period. They hired some of the most skilled mold designers of the time to develop patterns exclusive to Consolidated. Their “Gone with the Wind” style lamps were decorated with lions, ornate masks, and foliage designs on the molded glass. Their tableware patterns were less-fussy designs such as cones, feather, and loop patterns.

Consolidated offered a variety of colors, including crystal, canary yellow, and ruby red were favorites. Also popular were apple green, mandarin orange and sky blue. Much of their production was milk glass, also referred to as “opal.”. They also made cased-glass pieces, which were simply layering two colors of glass.

Consolidated decorated and applied finishes to much of its glass “in-house.” Items were acid-etched and hand-painted in decorating rooms. They took pride in their craftsmanship and fire polished all edges by hand. They also carefully hand-applied scenic transfers and gold gilding. One particularly popular pattern at the turn of the century was Cosmos, produced in both milk glass and crystal. The decorators hand-painted the petals on the flowers in soft pastel colors.

In the early years, Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company produced large quantities of good quality decorative lamps, lighting fixtures, and table wares. Because their production was extensive, pieces are readily available in the antiques marketplace today.

Collecting Consolidated glass

The most important thing to do when collecting early Consolidated glass is to educate youself. Learn how to recognize the sizes, finishes, and colors produced by the company. Study collections held in at museums, such as the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, and the Corning Museum in New York.

The Phoenix and Consolidated Collectors Club is a group that helps further the knowledge and understanding of Consolidated and Phoenix glass (a related company to be discussed in an upcoming article). They publish a quarterly newsletter with in-depth articles and host an annual convention which has glass displays and lectures. Past lecturers have been authors, collector, and even past factory employees. By joining a group of fellow collectors, you establish a network of people with the same interests that can help you in identifying and evaluating your pieces.

It is also important that you buy from a reputable dealer or auction house. A dealer should be willing to discuss the history and background of the pieces they sell. Ask questions before you buy and examine pieces thoroughly, as a slight chip or crack can devalue pieces greatly. Beware: several pieces of Consolidated have been reproduced and vary only slightly from the originals.

Resources

There are some great resources available both online and in print. Some websites include:

Phoenix and Consolidated Collector’s club (http://home.earthlink.net/~jdwilson1/pcgcc.htm),
Fostoria Glass Museum
(http://www.fostoriaglass.org/),
Corning Museum of Glass
(http://collection.cmog.org/main.php?module=objects)

Reference books include:
Opalescent Pattern Glass by Marion Hartung
19th Century Patterned Art Glass Chamber Lamps by Ron Gibson
Antique Kerosene & Oil Lamps Guide Vol. 1 by Catherine Thuro
Antique Kerosene & Oil Lamps Guide Vol. 2 by Catherine Thuro

Its 3 feet tall and weighs about 35 to 50 pounds, made of brass, and on the bottom base it says MARIN, but cant find out anything about the lamp. I am trying to find out how much its worth, if anybody has info please email me at mdm13262 [at] yahoo [dot] com

To keep light in a home during the 1800′s required the use of oil lamps, for the most part. The glass lamps were functional, put out enough candlepower to light a small room, and served as night lights for the kids.

The first one above, circa 1820, is a clear blown glass lamp with a pressed bottom. You poured the oil in the top and sealed it with a cork. The yellow glass lamp was also a blown glass lamp, both made by the Sandwich Glass Co. near Boston, Massachusetts.

It was the Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. that revolutionized glass production beginning about the 1830s. Instead of cutting designs into glass, glass was blown mechanically into forms that produced intricate detail in a fraction of the time of hand blown glass – about every 15 seconds. The cost of glass dropped dramatically for consumers.

Another hand blown glass lamp, circa 1840, not necessariy produced by the Sandwich Glass Co., used a heavy pewter collar which was appropriate since it also burnt heavy oil.

By 1845, Cornelius and Baker created this decorative brass table lamp that used mineral oil or kerosene to emit light. It was messy and dirty, but it certainly did the job well.

The little one with the two prongs had a brass cover and used a cable with ring. It was lit by a match when the top was off and burned mineral oil, too. This was a primary lamp from the 1845 to about 1865.

The Aladdin Mantel Lamp Co. was established by Victor S. Johnson in 1908. He enjoyed reading about the Arabian Nights series of books while young. As an adult he introduced a particular kind of indoor lamp that produced a rather soft white light and named the lamp Aladdin.

For the past 100 years, the Aladdin Mantel Lamp Co. has produced all manner of kerosene, oil, and electrical lamps, but each can be identified easily by a number stamped into the knob that is used to raise and lower the wick, except for the initial period of manufacture between 1909 and August 1913.

Since the very first lamp was sold by the company in 1909, there have been 17 different models produced. Some models are more collectable than others. Following are the Model Types and when they were sold:

Model 1 was sold between May 1909 and August 1910
Model 2 was sold between September 1909 and December 1910
Model 3 was sold between January 1911 and August 1912
Model 4 was sold between September 1912 and August 1913
Model 5 was sold between September 1913 and August 1914
Model 6 was sold between September 1914 and July 1917
Model 7 was sold between August 1917 and July 1919
Model 8 was sold between August 1919 and August 1920
Model 9 was sold between August 1920 and August 1922
Model 10 was sold between May 1921 and August 1922
Model 11 was sold between September 1922 and May 1928
Model 12 was sold between May 1928 and April 1935
Model A was sold between May 1932 and December 1932
Model B was sold between February 1933 and September 1955
Model C was sold between October 1955 and April 1963
Model 21C was sold between May 1963 and December 1969
Model 23 has been sold since December 1969.

Models 1, 3, and 10 are hard to find as collectibles while Models 6, 11 and 12 are rather common.

This is a very elementary way to begin collecting Aladdin Lamps. After all, light never goes out of style.

Visit http://www.aladdinknights.org and http://www.aladdinlamps.com to review the history of the Aladdin Lamp and why it is so collectible.

In the collectible world of oil, kerosene, and electrical lamps there is an abundant of detailed books explaining the history, type, color, manufacturer, values and other specific details needed to verify any lamp.

We highlight only a select few here, but there are so many others to consider when starting your own lamp collection.

The first is “Aladdin, The Magic Name in Lamps”, by J.W. Courter published in 1978. The Aladdin Mantel Lamp Co. was started in 1907 and continues production today courtesy of a select few of Aladdin Knights, early collectors of Aladdin lamps. Mr. Courter provides the full history of the Aladdin Lamp Co and the complete line of lamps produced during the last 100 years.

J. W. Courter also produced “Center Draft Kerosene Lamps 1884-1940 Identification and Value Guide” published in hard cover in 2007. This is a most indispensable guide to kerosene lamps as a distinct collectible. The current value of every kerosene lamp is included in this first edition, but a new guide is published every year.

What J. W. Courter does for kerosene lamps, Catherine M. V. Thuro does with oil lamps. “Oil Lamps, the Kerosene era in North America” is a standard reference guide for all oil lamps as of this first edition in 1999. Two subsequent editions by Catherine M. V. Thuro featuring oil lamps were “Oil Lamps II, Glass Kerosene Lamps” published in 1983 and “Oil Lamps III, Victorian Kerosene Lighting, 1860 to 1900″ published in 2001. All are standard reference guides.

Most of these guides can still be found except J.W. Courter’s 1st edition of his kerosene lamp series dating to 1978. There are many other additional fine reference guides in this field from miniature lamps to hanging lamps.

In the arcane world of oil lamps there are considered to be three distinct phases: simple olive oil lamps from prehistory to the 18th century, the Argand lamp created about 1780, and the kerosene lamp created about 1850.

First, the original oil lamp. First created from terra cotta, eventually this simple reservoir of oil and a plain wick produced light by soaking the wick in olive oil placed in the reservoir and lighting its end to produce light, but little heat. Evenually made from brass and bronze, it remained a standard light fixture until the invention of the Argan lamp in 1780.

It was a powerful invention for its time. Aime Argand patented a system that produced the first chimney-type of oil lamp with a brigher light equivalent to 6 to 10 candle power. Using spermaceti whale oil was also an improvement as it reduced the cost of heating the lamp itself. Until kerosene, a even cheaper fuel changed the face of lamps in 1850.

Basically, it was a change in the wick and how the air is drawn upward to maximize the use of oxygen near the flame. Ignacy Lukasiewicz, a Polish inventor, invented the new system about 1853. This draft form of lighting also came with a wick that can be adjusted up or down to increase the amount of light given off. But it was Abraham Gesner that pioneered the use of kerosene or coal oil in Halifax, Nova Scotia in his Kerosene Gas Light Company in 1850 which eventually was absorbed into Standard Oil Company.

There are additional variations of the oil lamp known as the mantle and pressure lamp. The mantle is a circular wick that uses more fuel, but also produces more light and heat. A pressure lamp relies on pumping air through to vaporize the kerosene before it is lighted. This is a popular version used by campers under the Coleman logo.

Many of the early oil lamps are quite collectible and are still used by many developing communities around the world as a cheap source of heat and light.

It has a long history of providing heat and warmth to generations of families since 1908. Today, many families around the world still rely on the Aladdin Mantel Lamp’s original use as a main source of light, as a secondary emergency source or as its main source of light in developing countries.

What makes an Aladdin Mantel Lamp unique is that its original patented design hasn’t changed much in nearly 100 years. Originally kerosene, now an odorless liquid fuel, is added to its reservoir and when its wick is lit produces a vapor that when mixed with oxygen produces a brilliant blue flame. A mantel above the blue flame converts the vapor into 60 candlepower of white light or the power of 60 candles lit at once. According to a scientific study, the white light of an Aladdin Mantel Lamp is considered close the effect of natural sunlight. It’s heat is just as prodigious as its light.

An Aladdin Mantel Lamp comes as a desk lamp, a hanging lamp, a student lamp, a decorative lamp and in so many different variety of shades, painted and otherwise, as to make a choice very difficult. Some of the photos will give you an example of the kinds of lamps that are sold today by Aladdin, but it will also allow you to recognize a unique Aladdin-style lamp as a collectible since the style has changed little since 1908.

As an exclusive dealer of Aladdin Mantel Lamps we are able to distinguish between a new or older version and whether it can be reconditioned for additional years of service.

Visit our website at http://www.woodenshoeantiques.com for examples of Aladdin Mantel Lamps and let us answer any questions about any early version of this American-produced supplier of heat and warmth.

References: J. W. Courter, “Aladdin Collectors Manual & Price Guide #18: Kerosene Mantle Lamps,” published by author, 1998; J. W. Courter, “Aladdin Electric Lamps: Collectors Manual & Price Guide #3,” published by author, 1997; J. W. Courter, “Aladdin: The Magic Name in Lamps,” Revised Edition, published by author, 1997.

by Harry L. Rinker
“Official Price Guide to Collectibles”