Try this site, it may give you more information about lanterns. http://www.jeffpolston.com/lantern.htm I've collected barn lamps and hurricane lamps over the years and can tell you there is a wide range in what people are asking. If you are in or near a big city, you pay more (average about 25-35 dollars for a barn lamp). RR and and hiway lamps command a little more. If you visit a rural community flea market or yard sale, you would pick up a barn lamp for around 10-15 dollars. The first oil lamp appears to have been converted to electric. I think I see a socket inside. To an oil lamp collector, forget it. However, if you put a bulb in there that has the candle flicker, you may get about 25-30 dollars for it from someone who wants to add semi functional country charm to their decorating. So basically it depends on who wants it and why, as to what you can get from it. That pretty much goes for anything though.

I have no clue, never seen one like it, but it's FABULOUS!!!!! My initial reaction was ... Art Nouveau torchiere ... the shape and the intricate vining of the base and middle part, the scrolling metal work, and the lacy delicate look of it. Questions: 1 - Look EVERYWHERE for a stamped, engraved maker's mark or company name. Get a magnifying glass and a good light and look under the base, around the base, inspect every square inch of that thing ... Get the markings off the switch and the bulb socket too. 2 - does a magnet stick to all or some parts of it? It looks like wrought iron ... but if so, that's astounding work. If magnets don't stick, it may be bronze. Check that by making a scratch under the base - bronze will be a brownish metal. Silvery metal is "pot metal" or "spelter". 3 - Any idea where they were living when they acquired this? were they ever in Europe - military or diplomatic service,

Some lamps have a velvet fabric to protect from scratches. Once you pull that off, you'll see the nut that keeps the whole thing together. It depends on the lamps. I'd try to take off the socket first. Sometimes you can just disconnect that and the whole wire will pull out. Thread a new wire, add new socket, bingo. You're pretty much done. BTW, it was BAKE cookies, not back cookies (for the record, I hate snickerdoodles!)

hi linda, thanks, oil lamp? thanks for the name of that glass, it looked like there were 2 layers, it's hard to get a good pic that was why i picked it up. any suggestions on where it may be from? thanks again, chris