Lantern found in Turkey
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Lantern found in Turkey
by Ara in Paris (Lumiara@aol.com)
Posted: Nov. 06, 2002 @ 07:19.
Dear Q&A-visitors, one of my friends in Turkey found this item in a
store where one shouldn't expect cheap reproductions for tourists.
The item was sold to him as a lamp. Does anybody have an idea on it,
or knows the company? The marking says J C & W LORD, Birmingham.
Could it be a lantern hanging through the ceiling in a vehicle, like
a ship, railroad car or streetcar? Thanks for any suggestion,
regards. Ara in Paris.
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On Nov. 06, 2002 @ 11:09, Fil Graff (fgraff@comcast.net) wrote:
Mon cher ami: Um...where is the device that makes it BURN? What is
shown could be a fancy portable goldfish bowl. :: Fil ::
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On Nov. 06, 2002 @ 12:01, Alex Marrack (alexmarrack@aol.com) wrote:
Fil is right about the lack of innards, what you seem to have got is
the case and glassware of a pot-lamp, or something very similar,
these were dropped thru pot-holes in the roofs of railway carriages,
ready lit, by lamp boys who ran along the roofs at stations. It looks
fancier than those I've seen before. They usually have a burner, with
a big flat wick in a brass case that hangs down on a curved feed
tube, a bit like the side tube under a tilley donut lamp... Find the
rest and you have a nice lamp, otherwise but some goldfish!
Alex.
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On Nov. 06, 2002 @ 13:14, Rob Whittaker (ninefreight@aol.com) wrote:
Hi Ara, J C & W Lord were a long established firm of Merchants in
Birmingham, situated very close to the metal trades quarter.
Originally the firm was called J. Lord & Co, and were certainly in
business as merchants by 1850 from premises at Friday Bridge. It
seems likely they had been in business for sometime by this date. By
the 1860's they were trading as J. C. & A. Lord from 69 Newhall
Street, and by the end of the century they became J. C. & W. Lord as
shown on the lamp (now at Great Charles Street). At no point did they
claim to be lampmakers, and I imagine all their goods were sourced
from local manufacturers. They certainly traded into the twentieth
century, but I don't know for how long. Curiously John Courtney Lord
J.P. (born 1841) was Vice-Consul for Brazil, and his partner William
Wyley Lord, was Vice Consul for Chile! This must have been very
useful for the business but I have not noticed any lamps emanating
from South America bearing their name. Most of the lamps I have seen
seem to come from the Indian subcontinent - varied types all of fair
but never best quality. The lantern shown seems to hark back to
another era, when wicks on platforms with 3 centralising fenders were
floated on whale oil in glass bowls, but the company name suggests it
was made 100 years later than this so it is an enigma. I imagine it
was suspended from a wrought iron arch over the gateway to a town
house or from a bracket over a porch. Could it be an early electric
reproduction for a Georgian house. Nottingham was lit by this type of
lamp in the early 19th century, and remarkably the original supports
still exist today, and are visible around the perimeter fence of St
Mary's Church in the Lacemarket, and yet they go unnoticed by
thousands!. Rob
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On Nov. 07, 2002 @ 11:04, Ara in Paris (Lumiara@aol.com) wrote:
Dear all,thanks for your suggestions and information, I'll inform my
friend who will certainly be happy to know that his goldfish-bowl is
indeed a lamp. This doesn't complete the item, but there is still
room below to add all addresses where he can order the missing half !
Cheers & regards, Ara in Paris
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On Nov. 07, 2002 @ 12:34, Rob Whittaker (ninefreight@aol.com) wrote:
Just to add that further info confirms that John Courtney Lord J.P.
was in fact an 'East India Merchant' - which would explain the
location of many of the companies lamps. Rob