Featured Help valuing a Bouillotte style lamp w/ figural swans French or Italian?)

Yello,

Picked this up at an estate sale recently. I don’t know much about lighting at all. It’s not marked in any way that I can tell. Beautiful brass swans and base. Looks like most of these lamps come out of France and some out of Italy. I see lamps that look quite similar to mine listed between $200 and $2000. I assume that mine is on the lower end of that scale but I really don’t know. The home it came out of had some very high quality antiques that the owners clearly paid up for so maybe it is on the higher end I don’t know. Unfortunately one of the chains is broken and theres some tiny holes in the shade in one spot. Otherwise it’s in great shape. If anyone can help with valuation I would appreciate it. I found a Fredrick Cooper swan lamp a while back that I saw listed for $200-$400 and I only ended up getting $100 out of it so I know lamps can be a little tough to sell sometimes.




Lots of photos here: https://m.imgur.com/a/qHNhsEU

 

These types of lamps were put together from pieces parts like you'd put together a trophy. They were sold in great quantities. So, it's unlikely you'd ever find a maker for it.

I didn't look through the imgur links, but it looks in relatively good condition. Some patina which is to be expected. Is there a problem with one of the two rivets on the top of the shade? Looks like there's a white spot and a protruding dent.

If you had two, it'd be an easier sell.

 

hard to say if it's a real Empire or later. the col de cygne (swan necks) would be correct.

 

There does appear to be a little condition issue up by the rivet you’re correct. It was in a pretty dark room (slightly ironic) when I bought it. Tossed it in car. Took it for quick photos session then tossed back in lol. Really haven’t inspected it closely yet except to look for makers mark in key spots. I paid a very modest price for it so even with condition issues and if it turns out to be newer I did good. I do wish I had a pair for sure!

Interesting to hear about manufactures just piecing these together!

 

I can't tell you how many times I walked out of a sale, looked at something in the sunlight, and found condition issues. Even with my LED flashlight on my phone, stuff hides.

 

For sure! I also show up late typically and have a limited time to run around and pick stuff out before closing. Condition gets overlooked sometimes in my rush. Naturally most of the best stuff is already gone usually so it’s a double whammy lol.

 

Any ballpark number you would throw out there based on the little you have seen of my lamp and your knowledge? Don’t even know where to start on this one. I may just keep it as I like it but I’ll typically float it anyways and see what happens.

 

Sorry, I'm not a numbers guy. You could get lucky and find someone that is doing a French Empire room and this piece would look fantastic in it. The swans are cool and are a desirable design motif.

Unless you have a strong local market, shipping would be a pain.

 

Thanks! Local market is good. Although this would be a pain to ship I wouldn’t mind too much. The Porcelain Fredrick Cooper swan lamp I sold i was very happy to sell locally. That one would have really sucked to ship.

Edit: spelling

 

The cord looks new-ish. Do you think it's been rewired? The decoration on the shade reminds me of something out of the 1960s or 1970s. But I know nothing about lamp styles and am just speculating here. (And thanks for letting me do that. )

 

Lol thank YOU for speculating. I have no knowledge of lmao styles so unsure about shade. It’s the same style shade that’s on just about all of these so I would guess it dates back a little further but idk. As for the wire my photos of the plug itself didn’t upload I guess. I’ve included a photo below. I don’t know wiring history either. It’s certainly not new but just how old it is I have no idea. I guess I could probably look up plug types. Rewiring no clue either lol.

 

Hmm photo didn’t post try again: