Posted 16 years ago
boomchild
(1 item)
13 ins tall faces on two sides, later made into a ele lamp, fixture dated 1910, quite heavy. no rust no green no real bad tarnish, a magnet dosn't stick to it, made from a 4 sided mold in perfect condition! what is it?
So much detail there isnt a blank place on this thing!
Your Lamp base is made of "Spelter", or white metal (often called "pot metal" in disrespect). It is an alloy of tin and lead usually. The lead was added to keep the metal from being too brittle. Spelter was the plastic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was easily molded and relatively inexpensive. Frequently it was silver plated, more often it was painted or "bronzed". Occasionally you will find a copper plated piece.
Spelter items have endured the years well and are quite collectible today. You have a nice lamp. Congratulations!