Wayne Bacon wrote:
I live in Australia and recently came across a double burner
banguet lamp with the brand name "Messenger" on the collar and the
ends of the wick adjusters. The font is cut crystal and the base is
worked brass with a corinthian style column with heavily worked
scrolling in brass. The burner is attached via a bayonet similar to
the Hinks fittings. The burner has a snuffer and a gallery raising
mechanism which operates by horizonically rotating a lever 90
degrees.
My question is, if you are able to help, what is the country of
origin of this brand and was it a quality brand?
Thanking you
Wayne Bacon
Guild Answer:
Wayne:
Messenger was an English lamp maker/wholesaler ultimately
absorbed by Falk, Stadelmann (as was Hinks). Definately "quality"
when
they were making their own goods, but they imported a lot of German
burners, rebranding them. They were just another "lamp dealer" at the
end. The lamp sounds quite nice! You say "double burner"...you likely
mean "Duplex", which was pretty standard for both Messenger and
Hinks.
The appropriate chimney would be round base, and then oval in the
bulge,
and then round again...the narrowing goes parallel to the wicks, to
better control the flame. Where are you in Australia?...I can put you
in touch with several very good lamp people there!
G'day, mate!
:: Fil Graff, International Guild of Lamp Researchers ::