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Gorham YC 490

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Author	Topic: Gorham YC 490
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-02-2006 05:51 PM I recently purchased a kerosene lamp at a church yard sale. The hallmarks on the bottom of have me a bit confused. The Gorham name is in a script format with the YC490 stamped under it. Between the name and the YC490 there is another mark that is faint. It is not an E or P nor an anchor. It looks like a square with an open bottom from which two tiny balls hang. I have looked at Gorham marks online and nothing I have seen looks like it. According to two online antiques shops what I have is described an a kerosene ladies boudior lamp made in the early 1900s. The photos show exactly the lamp I have. Even the hallmarks, as described, are the same. On an online auction site I have found the same item, actually two of them, but they are described as being made in the 1940s. The only difference here is the chimney. The one I have is crystal and matches the antiques stores. On the auction site boths lamp have a very plain chimney. I guess my question is: Is this lamp from 1940 or the early 1900s? IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 10-02-2006 11:10 PM Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your interest in silver first. We do not give appraisals or help in preparing for online auctions. From what I know, lamps tend to be made for long periods of time, easily from 1890 to 1950. And shades break and need to be replaced. Sometimes lamps of this sort were used for heating curling irons. Hope this helps. Photos would really be a great help; marks are insufficient for determining much of anything. We need to see the piece itself and its marks. IP: Logged
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-03-2006 06:45 AM I am not a silver collector. But sometimes I see an item that appeals to me. I do have a small collection of various antiques simply because they are a piece of our past. If the item is still usable I may use it. For example I have a console radio from 1929 that I restored to working condition. There is no intention to place the lamp on sale. The mention of auction sites was only because of research I did. The value is of little importance to me. Later today when I get off work I will do my best to provide photos. IP: Logged
SusanT Posts: 104 Registered: Nov 2005	posted 10-03-2006 10:30 AM Welcome to the forum! The big online silver and china replacement service is using a pic of this kerosene lamp for an example of their YC490 pattern. They have no items in stock. I was hoping they might give a year it was discontinued and possibly started. They only say "Manufacturer Status: Not Known." They say the pattern is "(SILVERPLATE, HOLLOWARE) by GORHAM SILVER," then say "Holloware, Sterling [GS YC490]". "It is not an E or P nor an anchor. It looks like a square with an open bottom from which two tiny balls hang." If it has an E and P on both sides of something then they stand for electro plate. That square or whatever is probably a year marking. Gorham used A thru Q as year markings from 1868-1884 and symbols from 1884-1933. "In Jan 1941, year markings were resumed on sterling holloware except lower priced items" per Rainwater. A square frame indicates the 1940s, a pentagon the 1950s, a hexagon the 1960s, a heptagon the 1970s, and so forth and so on. A numeral within the shape indicates the year. Without a pic or scan of the marking it impossible for me to guess which is yours or if it is even a year marking. Here is a webpage on the Encyclopedia of Silver Marks... where you can see Gorham year markings. Gorham Silver Marks & Dates --- Susan IP: Logged
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-03-2006 11:04 AM I looked at the silver replacement web page and that seems to be the same base. The chimney I have is quite different. Once I post some photos I am sure a better identification can be made. I really appreciate the assistance here. IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 10-03-2006 11:59 AM Chimneys are one of the least useful things to consider in trying to determine the age of a lamp unless you have some kind of proof that it is original to the base. Glass chimneys are fragile and easy to break, get lost over the years of storage, or the lamp owner just wanted a different looking chimney. Many old lamps have replacement chimneys that may be old replacements of a similar age as the base, not so old replacements that were added at some point along the way, or recent replacements with either an old orphan chimney or a newly reproduced one. IP: Logged
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-03-2006 01:22 PM This is getting more interesting than I could have imagined. Regardless of the outcome I do enjoy the lamp. IP: Logged
Tad Hale Posts: 120 Registered: Jul 2005	posted 10-09-2006 12:28 AM The Gorham YC mark is used on Gorham silverplate. IP: Logged
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-10-2006 05:54 PM I was unable to provide a photo because the camera is broken. Loaned it to a friend, but that's another story. Took the lamp to some antique stores. Was told that it was made in the 1890's by one; another said 1941; the third said early 1900s and is sterling silver. #3 also offered me significantly more than the $1 I paid for it. No sale. I like the lamp. IP: Logged
FredZ Posts: 1070 Registered: Jun 99	posted 10-10-2006 06:35 PM Your experience with antique dealers gives you an idea that much is to be learned about this field. If your lamp is marked as you describe it is not sterling. Most dealers do not specialize in silver and even those who do... cannot know it all. Last weekend I had a dealer show me a pewter spoon that he said was 16th century American. I looked at it and noted the Stieff mark on the back and the pristene condition of the spoon and it's small size. I explained to the dealer that this was a reproduction of an early american spoon and that Stieff was still making these spoons. He did not believe me. Hope you will be able to send us images sometime. That way we can also learn. Fred IP: Logged
cmthru Posts: 6 Registered: Oct 2006	posted 10-10-2006 07:28 PM I may be able to get photos in the next few days. IP: Logged

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