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Advice on an old lamp

last year

last modified: last year

My DH's grandmother gave us this lamp about 40-50 years ago. I have no idea when or where she got it. When my son needed furnishings, I passed it to him. His MIL (now ex, thank goodness) spray painted it gold. He recently gave it back to me and I am trying to remove the gold and get it back to the original finish which I remember it to be a darkish bronze. Someone suggested trying nail polish remover rather than paint remover. It removed some black streaks and then some. Now I have a lamp of many colors. Should I quit now and call it good enough or keep rubbing and hope the lamp genie finds the original color?

Photos are in comments as they will not go in the original post.

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colleenoz

last year

More Art Nouveau than Art Deco (there is a difference).

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Comments (10)

norar_il
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
This is to show the main body of the lamp and some of the results of my rubbing. It is about 14 inches tall, quite heavy and is magnetic. What might the metal be?

This is the very top and is almost the color of copper. That may disappear with more rubbing as the very dark spots show. The grayish will polish away.

The base. You can see the reddish color starting to show of the parts I have polished more.

The under part. She also painted it. The dark is the color I remember originally, but it has been a while. What would the number be? Pretty sure it's not the lamp's date!
Jilly
last year
Is it pretty heavy? I’m wondering if it’s cast iron.
norar_il thanked Jilly
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A mgnat sticks to a ferrous metal...or something that has a ferrous metal core... A magnat will often stick to the thin uprights on an old brass bed, because there is a steel rod inside for support....brass bends easily. I suspect your lamp base is what used to be known as "white brass' a copper alloy containing a large amount of chrome, I think it is....and some zinc. I think it will polish up more....but it will then be "silver-ish" and if you want it patinated, you will have to let that happen. Better natural than out of a bottle in my opinion... Linda C...NOT naturally blond any more! LOL!
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norar_il
Original Author
last year
Heavy, but not that heavy.
linda campbell
last year
If it holds a magnet it's cast iron...or steel. I shudder to think of the evils that have been done with a can of spray paint!

Startw ith a household cleaner like 409...it will take some sorts of cheap paint. Then try rubbing alcohol, or shellac thinner, but Likely acetone on a cotton ball and a Q-tip will be the best way to go. I think it will be a magnificent cast iron with perhaps brass or bronze trim when you are done. may need to darken with somethning like stove black....or just flat black paint.
norar_il thanked linda campbell
norar_il
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
You and Jinx may be right about cast iron. I'm afraid the design may not show up if it gets back to just iron. I've been using acetone (nail polish remover 98% acetone). Do you think the red coming through when I keep rubbing with the acetone is rust on iron? So far I haven't seen any black. If it does get down to iron, will it not rust? I really like this old lamp and don't want to mess it up.

What about an age? The design looks art nouveau to me. Or art deco. I really don't know the difference.
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
It is art deco/art nouveau, 1920's/30's. Is there a mark on the base? It will be small, almost inconspicuous. The base design looks like egg and dart, "series of bas-relief ovals alternating with pointed, narrow, dartlike carvings."

It could be bronze, which is a composite of different metals; bronze is heavy.

I have a Victorian oil lamp, with a round hand painted glass shade, which belonged to my grandfather...it is bronze and it is heavy.
norar_il thanked elcieg
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
last year
Might the red be a primer coat?
norar_il thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
Helen
last year
How invested are you in this lamp?

I ask because I had some antique sconces in a silver finish but wanted to use them in my guest bathroom which had copper and oiled rubbed bronze so I had them replated in the finish that I wanted.

The lamp is quite attractive as a decorative piece but I don't think you have to worry that replating it would take away the value - that ship has sailed when it was spray painted anyway.
norar_il thanked Helen
linda campbell
last year
Not bronze it it holds a magnet...obviously cast iron. Anda gree on the Nouveau style...I see nothing deco about it.

Keep rubbing it perhaps a geni will appear!
norar_il thanked linda campbell

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