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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Silver before sterling
 DOUBLE LENS LAMP MARKS
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| Author | Topic: DOUBLE LENS LAMP MARKS |
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Richard Kurtzman Moderator Posts: 768 |
posted 09-21-2004 04:37 PM
  
[01-1756] I recently purchased a Double Lens Lamp dating from the early 1800s. It is silver over copper and it has three marks on the rim of the base: Crossed keys, crown, and what looks like a bird or some kind of animal. I was unable to find any information for attribution. Does anyone have any ideas? IP: Logged |
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Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 |
posted 09-21-2004 05:33 PM
A possibility may be Henry Wilkinson & Co of Sheffield, England, who certainly used the cross keys mark (although others copied it as well).  IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 09-21-2004 05:36 PM
Similar, but not identical, marks are shown in Rainwater for the Lawrence B. Smith Co. of Boston, 1887 - 1958. The crossed keys were also used by Henry Wilkinson of Sheffield, but both the single and the double bulls-eye lamps are considered an American form by Hornsby, as they were also made in pewter around the mid-century; an example by Roswell Gleason is shown. They are considered whale-oil lamps. IP: Logged |
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vathek Posts: 966 |
posted 09-22-2004 07:50 AM
I'm going out on a limb here as this is off the top of my head, but I doubt this piece is that old. I think I've seen these marks on older 20c pieces and they look like psuedo hallmarks. IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 09-22-2004 12:27 PM
A.I.Colishaw is known to have made reproductions of pewter double bulls-eye whale oil lamps in the early 20th Century; his mark was an eagle. If this lamp is a product of the L.B.Smith firm, it could have been made at anytime up to the 1950's, whenever that particular style of the marks was used. The form, however is early - there is another Gleason example shown it Montgomery's A History of American Pewter that belongs to the Garvan Collection in Yale University, dated 1840 - 1860. It is nearly identical (except for the metal and its associated construction techniques) to Richard Kurtzman's lamp, as is the one shown in Hornsby's Pewter of the Western World. [This message has been edited by swarter (edited 09-22-2004).] IP: Logged |
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wev Moderator Posts: 4121 |
posted 09-22-2004 02:56 PM
The English firm of Joseph Lucas and William Baylis recieved a patent in 1793 for a very similar double lense and lamp. The catalog of the Charles Swain collection of American pewter compiled by Don Fenimore shows an unmarked lamp, tentatively attributed to Gleason, but with the possibility it may in fact be English. Several Sheffield platers used the crossed key mark at the end of the 18th century. [This message has been edited by wev (edited 09-22-2004).] IP: Logged |
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wev Moderator Posts: 4121 |
posted 09-22-2004 05:58 PM
Having said that, I wonder if this is not an early version of the marks used by Goldfeder Silverware Company of Yalesville CT? Their name aside, they mainly made silverplated holloware, including lighting fixtures. Their later mark, adopted in 1947, was "SILVER ON COPPER" flanked by a crown and the same sort of crossed keys in a sheild. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-23-2004 11:58 PM
One example of the “bull’s-eye” lamp in pewter is shown on page 363 of the “American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection”. From the picture the outward appearance does appear to be identical to your lamp however the metal used is different. The authors note that an invention by John Mile of an oil-tight font in 1787 led the way to a variety of Britannia lamps that burned whale oil or burning fluid by the 1820s. They also indicate that the “bull’s eye” lamp did not focus the light, but its limited diffusion seems to have reduced the effect of flickering. The lamp in the Bayou Bend Collection is unmarked, but they do cite the example swarter gave in “American Pewter: Garvan and Other Collections at Yale” Graham Hood, p. 29, no.121 stamped by Roswell Gleason of Dorchester, Massachusetts. IP: Logged |
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alirobi2 unregistered |
posted 09-25-2004 08:59 PM
I have 2 either candle holders or thin goblets with the exact same marks. They have a thistle pattern around the top and a grape pattern on the base. mine is a little clearer, I thought the last mark was a horse. if you figure it out, let me know. alirobi2 IP: Logged |
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wev Moderator Posts: 4121 |
posted 10-02-2004 06:02 PM
By coincidence, I just received an inquiry about a chocolate pot with the same marks: The more I see, the more I think we are looking at a early 20th century manufacturer. IP: Logged |
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T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 |
posted 10-04-2004 09:05 PM
Construction of lamp has me courious. Why the double Lens ? Seems to me , a single cylindrical lens would protect the flame from the elements in a very drafty whaler. IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 10-05-2004 01:32 PM
Single lens lamps of this type were actually more common than the double lens variety. Bulls-eye lenses served as condensers to concentrate light for microscope illumination for two centuries; after light bulbs came into use, frosted bullseye lenses or frosted filters were used in illuminators to diffuse the image of the filament, and provide more uniform concentrated illumination. A larger type of globular water lens was also used to provide a wider beam of concentrated daylight for illumination of close work (reading, knitting, etc.). These lenses had nothing to do with wind protection for the open flame, and would not have been used on unstable wooden ships, except perhaps in gimballed wall mounts, because of the fire hazard from an overturned lamp. Glass chimneys were fitted around the lamp wicks, if wind protection was needed. IP: Logged |
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T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 |
posted 10-05-2004 09:30 PM
OK swarter- Thanks. You swatted that pretty good. IP: Logged |
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