Established 1978, and situated in Edinburgh, we are one of Scotland’s leading antique dealers. We are members of LAPADA and CINOA, and have featured in several national magazines, papers and television.
With a huge variety of stock across our five storey warehouse and a dedicated online/web team, we can provide you with friendly, quick service and help you find the antiques you are looking for! We deliver our pieces worldwide and can offer competitive quotes - email us today to find out more.... See more
Dear Visitor,
For sale is a series of table/side lamps, derived from the genuine antique oil lamps. As a sign of the times though, we depart from the idea of using the oil (paraffin, kerosene) as a fuel and replace it with a more convenient and versatile source of light – the electricity.
The lamps are suitable for any types of interiors, to complement or to contrast the surrounding furnishings with a traditional style form of lighting. The final products are fully functioning electric table/side lamps, fashioned from original oil lamps, or parts thereof.
The lamps can be positioned in any place of the room, both central as well as side locations. The lamps can also be placed on mantels or other shelfs. Those fitted with milky glass shades can also serve as the desk/reading lamps.
The lamps have been assembled, wired and tested for safety by a competent and experienced personnel and are delivered ready for display and use.
All parts used are genuine 1850 – 1950 period, unless otherwise stated. All electric components and circuits are made anew.
Each lamp’s body comprises two major parts: the base and the shade.
Bases come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. The most typical shape of the base is a column, rested on a stepped pedestal or a socle with a classical capital (often referred to as a Corinthian column, but also Ionic order columns can be found). Other popular forms are urn or cup shaped vessels, originally designed to contain the oil fonts (founts). Other can be in form of figural or ornamental structures of any description. The lamps’ designs usually follow the fashion of the time when the lamps were created: Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, and so on. As the lamps were often the centre showpieces of the households, they would have been manufactured with great taste and care.
Oil lamp fonts, especially those cut-crystal glass ones, were particularly decorative. Yet, once oil has been replaced with the electricity, they became redundant. Now we are able to offer these original fonts adapted to fit electric lightbulbs and work off mains electricity and in doing so give beautifully crafted items a second working life!
Lamp bases are mostly made of brass, occasionally bronze or other metals. Lamp pedestals and/or columns are sometime made of marble or other decorative stones. Many lamps of various forms are made of spelter, i.e. a zinc alloy, often gilt or bronzed, especially popular around the turn of 19th and 20th centuries.
Wherever appropriate, the lamp bases are placed on added wooden (MDF) plinths. The plinth makes them more stable and provides protection against accidental scratching of the furniture surface as well as shielding for the electric wiring.
The highly decorative glass oil lamp fonts, no longer required to hold the kerosene/paraffin, have been craftly repurposed to serve as the lamps’ glass shades, with the electric bulbs inside. Oil lamp burners have also been re-worked to house the electric components.
The bulbs emit brilliant, atmospheric light, enhanced by the decorative, often sparking cut-glass fonts. Frosted, hand painted glass fonts are also used. Fonts have their undermounts (now positioned at the top of the lamp) capped for decoration with the burners’ winder wheels (removed from the burners while converting for the electric use).
The flexible, 3 wire electric cord is of a golden-brown colour and around 2 m in length. The mains plug is fitted with a 3 Amp fuse.
The bulbs are of a long life, low wattage (6W to 8W), dimmable LED type, controlled by an in-line dimmer, alongside the mains on/off switch. The dimmer allows to adjust the light intensity to accommodate the lamp’s position and to create the required ambient atmosphere.
It shall be stressed, that the goal of these undertakings is not to restore the antique items, namely oil lamps, to their original form, but rather to create aesthetically pleasing new forms, derived from the original ones, and retaining as much as possible of their original character. Such transformation and modernisation process ensures that the created lamps are unique pieces of artwork in their own right.... See more
I am a third generation Antique dealer with a passion for art and hand made items made from good quality materials and try to source items that are attractive and will last many generations. If you like any of my items please contact me to discuss further.... See more
Previously I worked in London as a Chartered Surveyor and have been dealing in paintings for thirty years. I have exhibited at at many major antique fairs and have vetted at them when required. I live in North Yorkshire but trade from Castlegate Antiques, 1/3 Castlegate, Newark, Notts, NG24 1A2 Tel 01636 701877 where my stock can be viewed Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. However it is advisable to ring first if wishing to view a specific item in case it is in Yorkshire. If not at Newark it can then be brought to the shop to be viewed at your convenience.... See more