articulated candle holder ??

[jgjdavies]

could someone identify the attached for me please

[cogar]

My 1st thoughs were that it is a "wall mount" gas light fixture ..... and if so, I think you are holding it upside down and there should be a "pivot" plate/bracket to go with it.

[mart]

Sure looks like something on that order Cogar !! Do the knobs at the ends turn ??  Wondering how the gas would have been fed to the fixture ??

[jgjdavies]

thanks for the suggestions guy. the end knob does turn. i was thinking it held a candle ?

[KC]

Can you please post another shot of it?

[talesofthesevenseas]

I immediately thought of the gas light fixtures as well, but the clamp would indicate that this would be attached to a table, wouldn't it?

[talesofthesevenseas]

Didn't we have something very similar about two years ago that turned out to be a gas cigarette lighter used in a bar? Anyone remember that one?

[talesofthesevenseas]

Found it. I think that may be what you have got here, a lighter that camps to a table top. Here is the old topic which includes a photo:

http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=6415.0

[talesofthesevenseas]

My guess on this is that the gas line connects to the valve and is lit directly, with the screw regulating the amount of gas/height of the flame. It would clamp to a table top and the articulated part just enables you to move it around, either for better light, to light a cigarette, or maybe for lighting a torch for welding, although it seems too ornate for that. I'm not sure of the purpose, but look to see if the underside is threaded like a gas line would screw into it.

[KC]

I think it is in line with that way of thinking...the style even has the victorian feel to it  Just wonder if it was the early electrical ones...they ran the wire on the outside!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gas-Light-Fixture-Arm-Part-Victorian-/380248063018

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/store/img-hydroponics/winged-griffin-gas-light-sconce-arm-antique-victorian-bronze-light-fixture-part_330629235246.jpg

http://earlyelectrics.wordpress.com/category/antique-lighting-unique/

[mart]

I can see it being similar but this has three arms

[talesofthesevenseas]

I think having the arm hinged in three sections would simply allow it to fold.

[KC]

There are even other possibilites...just get the brain juices flowing looking at these pics...
http://earlyelectrics.wordpress.com/category/antique-wall-lamps/

[cogar]

There are a lot of strange looking parts n’ pieces of old lighting fixtures that can still be found in the strangest of places. And there were many manufacturers of these for different segments of society. Coal gas was first used for lighting 1798.  Natural gas was first used in the US for lighting 1821. Kerosene lamps were first produced in 1853.

And undoubtedly, the 1st greatest transition in in-home lighting was instigated by the per say discovery of kerosene because it could be put into a can and taken with you wherever you went. The next greatest transition in in-home lighting was to electric lights.

Anyway, coal gas and natural gas lights had to be connected to a gas pipe or gas line. If the light was permanently fixed in place it would be connected via metal tubing or hollow metal arms, brackets, etc., with some connections of both types having swivel joints to adjust the lamps position. Rubber tubing was also used for those “moveable” lamps and on all table lamps.

Manufacturers had to do what they had to do to sell their product. And there were several “transition lamps” produced when electric lighting came on the scene with the lamps/lights being made for either gas or electric.