posted on February 17, 2004 03:12:43 PM
An earlier attempt to get some help with understanding these miniature oil lamps got no answers. Maybe my question was too long or maybe no one is interested in oil lamps but I would like to give it one more try. I'll be briefer this time.
The three little lamps (all between 8 or 9 inches tall) belonged to my husband's grandmother. Based on my reading of on-line vintage glass sites I have several questions:
• All the oil burners are marked "ABCO NUTMEG" although there are some differences in them. I find replacement burners identified as NUTMEG. Can old burners also have that name?
• I find very similar lamps with this kind of glass chimney some identified as original and some as replacements or base only. Is there any way to know if the chimney is original or if the lamp had a shade?
* I found reference to "shaker conversions". One site warns buyers not to pay "oil lamp prices" for converted salt shakers. Both of the blue ones have a metal screw top fastened to the glass with some kind of adhesive and the oil burner screws into that. On the pink cased one the entire metal top is one piece and screws off. Does this likely mean that the pink is a conversion and the two blues are not?
Thanks for any assistance you can give me.
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“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 17, 2004 04:30:10 PM
I don't know much about oil lamps, but all three of these bases appear in the salt shaker book. It could also be that the manufacturers used the same piece for two purposes, but some of your lamps look like they would tip over pretty easily.
posted on February 17, 2004 04:42:19 PM
Gousainc:
Thanks for the response. I did see auctions with the Nutmeg burners but I also saw new replacement parts with the same stamps. That is why I wonder about the auctions that call them "ABCO NUTNEG" lamps. I think that is just the name of the burner and not the lamp.
Damariscotta:
They do look tippy to me also but from what I read on some sites on oil lamps the real ones had a metal ring cemented onto the glass. The two blue ones have some kind of adhesive under the metal collar while with the pink one the entire top can be screwed off.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 17, 2004 09:05:22 PM
These lamps are such pretty pottery! Salt shaker or not, they'd be hard to resist in a shop--for me.
Seems to me that the provenance of the lamps will be your best assurance to a buyer that the chimneys may have been original. Can you honestly say in the description that the grandmother owned the three with the chimneys as shown, in years _____ to _____ (approx.)? If so, I'd say that and let the buyers decide if they want to bid.
I didn't know lamps were made from salt shakers; we learn something new every day around here, don't we?!
___________________________________
"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
posted on February 18, 2004 07:31:22 AM
Roadsmith, All three are glass. The pink one is cased glass (pink on the inside, clear on the outside), the blue one on the left is clear and blue alternating stripes, and the rounded blue one has rows of scallops running up and down around it (pressed glass, maybe?). My husband's grandmother died in the late 60s but I think she bought the items in her collection in what she called "second handed shops" in the 30s through 50s. I suppose she could have added the burners in that period but I have no way of knowing. From what I have read I feel that the cement on the metal rings on the two may be an indication they were original lamps.
I remember in an earlier threat someone gave answers about oil lamps who seemed very knowledgeable.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 18, 2004 09:21:15 AM
HEY PHOTO, I am 95% sure your lamps date back to the late 1800S or very early 1900S It a little hard to tell without holding them. don't sell them short.
posted on February 18, 2004 09:23:11 AM
yes old burners can be marked nutmeg. like i said before i think they are victorian old art glass mini lamps. good luck
I sold an old finger lamp several months ago. When I was researching I remember reading somewhere about a plaster-like material connecting the screw top to the base on the old ones.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the source. Sorry I can't be of more help.
posted on February 18, 2004 09:48:04 AM
This site may help. Yes, they did use a cement to attach some of the collars. Click on Lamp Information on the top.
