Steve Peterson wrote:
First Question:
Greetings, I am an avid collector of kerosene hanging library/parlor
lamps of both the counterweighted and clutch/pulley variety.
However,
I am running into a problem. I have been trying to do research into
these types of lamps and I am finding that little to no information
exists in most books on oil lamps (like in "Oil Lamps" by Thuro; she
only deals with hanging lamps on a couple of pages). Do you know of
any books out there that deal with these lamps specifically or in
more
detail than the books currently out do; or is this an area of lamp
collecting that information is passed from person to person?
Secondly; recently here in Arizona, I stumbled across a parlor lamp like that on the cover of the #17 Aladdin collector Price Guide in an antique mall. Having never seen one in this state before, I had to have a close look at it. Upon checking it out however, I discover that it was not an Aladdin model of the lamp, but one from the manufacturer P and A (per the sales tag). This lamp had a double flat wick burner marked from P & A. (It did not have a snuffer lever and I could not get any patent date or such off the burner with the sales clerks giving me "the eye".) Did P and A actually sell this lamp themselves (or under a "subsidiary")? Was this the "standard" burner that P and A would have put on their version of that lamp, or would they use any of the various and sundry types of burners that would have fit the opening (including the Praticus)? These questions or any other important information would be good to have to help me decide if I should keep looking at this lamp or move on.
Thanks Steve Peterson
Guild Answer:
Steve: I don't know of any BOOK specifically on hanging/library lamps. Anyone out there have any info that can help Steve?
Guild Comment:
Yep; Bernie Holmes of T.J. Sands, Melbourne had it reprinted, but it
is
only scarcely available in the US. :: Fil ::
Guild Answer to SECOND Question:
Steve: As you may know, Plume and Atwood manufactured ALL the Aladdin fonts, burners and other metal parts. The Plume and Atwood "parlor lamp" is found MUCH more commonly than the Aladdin Model 1 thru 4 versions. It generally appears with a center draft round wick P and A "Colonial" burner, but the collar WOULD handle a duplex burner, IF the center draft tube was not installed, and its air hole at the bottom of the font plugged. I have seen several of this parlor lamp font made this way (obviously a FACTORY job, not a later conversion) with a side draft 14''' 1914 Kronos burner in them. I've never seen the "side draft" version advertised in a P and A catalogue, but it was obviously a standard offering, maybe with one of the several P and A Duplex burners. It's likely that the Kronos burner was a after-market substitution to make the lamp an incandescent mantle lamp, much as is commonly found on English lamps with a (German usually) replacement burner installed where a Duplex burner was originally supplied, sometimes even with the UK "bayonet" collar.The Font equiped with a Duplex would NOT handle the Praktikus burner, as that is CENTER DRAFT, like the Aladdin. I would say your find has definate interest! If the price isn't outrageous (it probably is), the lamp would make a good addition to your (or MY!) collection; it offers the possiblility of making the mantle lamp conversion with a 14''' Kronos or other SIDE DRAFT 14''' burner.
signed: Fil Graff, Webservant
Follow-up to Question 7 Posted May 11, 1998 1400 EDT
Steve Peterson wrote:
The parlor lamp that I had mention was priced in the $1100 to $1200 range. More than what I really want to spend.
Steve: I'd guess that the lamp is overpriced by about $900!!! RUN
to the
nearest exit! The dealer is patently WHACKO! Wonder what he/she
thinks
he/she has? (but wouldn't want to ask, 'cause he/she might just tell
me,
and I wouldn't want to vomit on the mall's nice floor!)
Thanks for checking, anyway. :: Fil Graff ::