Judy, I'd wager it's worth every penny and more of the $1,595 one that is similar even with the socket that has been changed out. I still think it's a lamp from the Arts & Craft period (turn of the century) and most likely (after seeing the shade) it's slag. I think it's gorgeous, green included, and don't you dare clean it now that we've seen it. BTW...did I mention, I crave that lamp? That's just too bad about Dh's sis. LOL Anyway...clean the slag with a damp cloth. It's not as fragile as mica. Have you found any markings on the metal? Look around the rim and on the underside. I hope you're going to keep it. Really...it's simply marvelous.

The scratch is a brass-color and the entire lamp is magnetic, except for the finial. Thanks for reminding me of the magnet trick! I used to carry one in my wallet for testing "brass" until it wiped out a couple of credit cards. My husband says he thinks it is steel, with brass-plating on the base. (Though why someone would brass-plate the base and not the rest, I don't know.) I've never seen steel used like this in a lamp, but then again, I haven't seen everything ... or maybe I have, now. The man has no soul. He suggested taking it to an auto body shop and having it powdercoated in candy-apple red. I hope his tongue was in his cheek. I think I'll follow LInda's suggestion and spray it with lacquer once it's cleaned up, then take it to the electrician. This is not the kind of thing I would rewire myself. I've ordered a wire candelabra-lamp frame to cover -- just have to pick out fabrics for it. Lazyg, I'll see if I can get a shot of the whole fireplace. It' ll have to wait until tomorrow, when there's more light. The surround and hearth are English handmade tiles with glass tile accents -- not too expensive, since it's a small space, and the tile has a lot of impact. We remodeled this room recently. What? No one noticed the beautiful cat? I couldn't keep him away from the camera.

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!

brickeyee, I say the rust will reappear because oxygen and moisture (that's what you meant to type, not "mosite"?) are always present. We live in WNY, and the humidity is high in the summer. I'm afraid that leaving those cast iron parts nice and clean will mean rust sooner or later; iron doesn't have to be wet to rust, it just needs moisture in the air. So, as you say, one or the other has to be restricted, and that is the problem, I guess. There is a very little bit of the original finish on these parts, just a little, but it looks as though they were either painted gold or perhaps bronzed. (Although I have to ask what happened to the bronze if that is the case. The finish is left on some of the high-relief areas, not in the crevices, and you'd think it would wear off of the high points first.) Argh. My husband just wants to hang it as is, but once it's up, it's up. And I don't like the rust.