New pics of oil lamp Had to start a new thread

>torchere gasoliers<

Somehow that sounds like an oxymoron. A torchère is a *stand* for a lamp and a gasolier is the French word for a gas chandelier that *hangs* from the ceiling. I guess it could have been a gasolier, but that throws out the use of any oil. I first thought it might be a gas fixture, but it would need a brass tube/pipe or some sort of gas conductor/connector from the wall or ceiling to the lamp?? As this lamp was converted to electricity, the connector was probably tossed out.

--- Susan

 

Yowza !!! It's a Colza......I'm now marching backwards....!! ...

 

This will reveal my age, more than anything, but the discussion of this interesting piece reminds me of the (1950's?) "What In The World Is It?" television show I used to watch when I was very little. IIRC, an unusual object was placed in the middle of a circle of wise men who proceeded to discuss and raise questions about the object until a consensus was reached as to what it was. Anyone else remember that?

Anyway, I know nothing about early lighting, but when I first saw this referred to as a wall-mount lamp, my immediate reaction was the weight of the lamp on the end of that long, curved snake--and especially if it was filled with some liquid fuel--would be likely to break the snake/arm off. I noticed, too, that in the picture of how it would have hung, the OP's arm is supporting it near the place where the snake joins the mounting plate. For that reason alone, I am pretty sure the lamp hung from the ceiling as the Colza chandeliers did.

 

The snake is solid and can easily support the lamp, my plans are to eventually hang it in a wall. I guess it's possible that it was hung from a ceiling at one time. I would love to see a rerun of the show you mentioned.