Lamp ID needed -- 30's? 50's?

What can you tell me about this metal lamp? I wondered if it was used for some industrial purpose? There is a number (7) painted on the plug as if it was in a group possibly? Has a toggle switch. Measures 10 inches high, 9.5 across top. Thanks!

 

We had many (read dozens) of these that we used on pedestals and consoles in the chapels of our funeral homes. Matter of fact I still have one or two - they make great "projectors" for making shadow animals on the ceiling - preferably NOT while the family is viewing the dearly departed........................


OOPS! Forgot to mention that we had them in the same basic form from the 1920's through the late 1960's - so dating may be difficult.


ASIDE: Gotta love that edit feature! Save me from looking like a total imbecile......

 

They make great "projectors" for making shadow animals on the ceiling - preferably NOT while the family is viewing the dearly departed......

I'll be sure to add that in the description!

 

I don't know that anyone made this form in the 1920s or the 1960s, however they did make it in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

I have seen a wider or shallower, cone shaped, bass shade something like this, but it was on an obvious 1930's art deco base with deco decorations. I don't know what you should call the style. I would call it Modern. They also made knee hole desks with rounded corners at the same time that looked very Art Deco. Some people have called it 'post deco' or even 'deco revival', but I wouldn't go that far, as deco hadn't completely died, evidenced by these pieces. You know, there always seems to be a 'behind the times' or 'standard' style in office furniture catalogs. The deco style did have a way around office furnishings that would have still been understood by the early 1950's customer wanting that Louis B Mayer grand front office, even if they were a dinky insurance salesman or dentist.

The actual genre name may not be as important as its appearance and use. B, is right in calling it a television lamp, because that bare bulb would be horrible staring up from a low end table, but on a t.v. it would be perfect.

I could see it on a shelf, too.
It would fit with both deco and modern furnishings, and because it looks like the office furniture of the 1950s, it also would go with industrial loft decor.

 

sorry, I made a couple of typos above. I keep thinking about this lamp. It's purpose suddenly came to me. It is suppose to go on top of a tall file cabinet. It would be perfect on top of a fall front file cabinet (a must have). After a polish on the outside and a magic sponge on the inside, and adverting it as a file cabinet lamp, I would expect $70 to $125 to be the price.

Oh, there seems to be something wonky with the position of the bulb insert, I would be tempted to finger it so the bulb sets up straight. And I would shoot it with a clear bulb, so it looks antiquer.

 

Thank you, lilfont. Much appreciated!