Collectibles-General (Antiques)/Antique lamps

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Expert: DR. ROBERT LERCH - 10/14/2009


Question

Wyvern lamp
The antique lamp in the attached photo (with two close ups) looks odd enough to me that I wonder if it is created from a number of different Victorian pieces. There seems to be a broken stem between the wings of each of the three wyverns, and the carafe shaped glass seems out of place to me.

I bought a pair of these lamps online, and they were described as brass, but when I hit them with silver polish the filigree on the shaft and the platform that the wyverns are standing on sparkled like silver. The wyverns also cleaned up to look silvery instead of brass.

I've found photos of Victorian serving pieces that look similar, including the carafe-shaped glass (http://leonardjoel.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=5240%26auction=12), and I've seen candelabra bases with wyverns that look a lot like these.

Do you have any thoughts on the origin of these pieces?  I took one to a local antique shop, and the proprietor made some guesses about the components, but had nothing definite to tell me. He suspects that the filigree cylinder at the base of the glass might be solid silver. I can tell that the saucer shape at the top of the glass is plated (the silver is wearing off), and perhaps the bottom part of the base was originally plated, as well.

Can you tell me anything about these lamps? Can you place the time the original pieces might have been created? Do you have an opinion about what the original pieces might have been? How can I determine if the metal is silver or silver plate? This is such a mystery!

(And if you have advice concerning the type of lampshade would be appropriate, I'd be grateful, too!)

Thanks!
Jakki

Answer
hi...without seeing them in person it is hard to say what they are made of....my guess is they are either silver plate or nickel over brass....which will polish up like silver....i can tell you who made them but they do seem to be quality pieces....i would guess the value to be about 2000 for the pair.... i would probably put a custom made silk shade on them....with the shape posiblly recapitulating the shape of the base...i hope this is helpful

DR. ROBERT LERCH

Expertise

i am able to answer questions related to COIN OPERATED MACHINES OF ALL TYPES. TIFFANY STUDIOS LAMPS, GLASS AND ACCESORIES. AMERICAN FOLK ART. CAST IRON. GENERAL ANTIQUES

Experience

tiffany studios coin operated machines american folk art antique stained glass photography paintings art glass cast iron

Education/Credentials
nationally recognized collector board certified ear nose and throat physician

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