Posted 3 years ago
ChasM60098
(1 item)
Bronze or Brass Table Lamp
About 21 inches high (Base to finial) & a 4 inch base
Could not find any markings
Weighs 6.9 pounds
Bronze/Brass Urn Table Lamp | ||
| Lamps398 of 8790 |  |  |
Bronze/Brass Urn Table Lamp | ||
| Lamps398 of 8790 | | |
Posted 3 years ago
ChasM60098
(1 item)
Bronze or Brass Table Lamp
About 21 inches high (Base to finial) & a 4 inch base
Could not find any markings
Weighs 6.9 pounds
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I had one of these, I believe mine was spelter, not brass. This one has a very very suspect base to it and I believe it is made of resin. The metal ones all had hollow bases and you can see the metal whereas the resin ones base are filled in. Also here you can see the crooked base which is also telltale of resin made. The older ones all have precision mouldings whereas this one does not.
Thank you for the feedback, I guess I will have to check with an expert now.
I found the piece below thru Collector's Weekly. I did try the scratch test mentioned and it did not change color, only shinier.
"Fedorowicz said spelter is made up of copper, zinc and lead instead of the better bronze. The handy Kovels.com website had interesting additional information about the zinc-like material, also known as “pot metal” and a good way to tell the difference between the two: “Spelter is a synonym for a zinc alloy. Figurines, candlesticks, and other pieces were made of spelter and given a bronze or painted finish. Early twentieth-century Art Nouveau and Art Deco figures and lamps were often made of spelter. The metal has been used since about the 1860s to make statues, tablewares, and lamps that resemble bronze. Spelter is soft and breaks easily. To test for spelter, scratch the base of the piece. Bronze is solid; spelter will show a silvery scratch.”
Anyone know of where someone can have a metallurgical assay done in Northern Illinois. Thank you.