Need Info Identification on this Unusual Lamp!

[Debbelle]

This lamp has been in my family for years, but I don't know anything about it. It has no name identification and I can't find anything like it anywhere. The middle 'box' opens up and there is a light in there. The leaves are some sort of metal/tin (?). The vase is removable. It is heavy. I think it's some sort of brass or something. Can anyone identify this for me - and possibly give me the correct terms for some of the points I've mentioned. Thanks.

[mart]

Can you take a pic of the bottom ??  Has it ever been rewired ??

[Debbelle]

Here is a picture of the bottom.

[mart]

Looks like brass !! And if it hasn`t been redone it pretty modern wiring !!

[Debbelle]

Looks like brass !! And if it hasn`t been redone it pretty modern wiring !!

I don't know if it's been redone. But, I have a friend who's very electrically inclined. I'm sure he'll be able to tell me.

[bigwull]

if you can check the colour of the wiring inside the outer cable..if its black/red...its old, if its blue/brown its modern...but that does,nt mean that the lamp is modern...it may have been rewired for safety reasons...

[mart]

Its called an Epergne lamp but havent seen one with this much going on !!

[KC]

Mutual Sunset Lamp Company made lots of interesting epergne lamps with common parts like this in the late 30's...but the base of the lamp would be marks MSLC or have the name written out.  Since that time in the 50's and onward there were lots of imports that mimicked the lamps of the 20's and 30's.  Just for grins here is one with some common elements:

[mart]

Right KC !!  Thats why I was looking at the wiring !! 

[Debbelle]

I've never seen light bulbs like this before, either. Are these old?

[cogar]

That is new lamp cord and so is the black electrical tape wrapped around it.

Which implies that a new lamp cord was spliced to the older new lamp cord.

Meaning someone probably "spliced" a longer cord on it because the old one wasn't long enough to reach the outlet where they wanted to sit the lamp.

[ghopper1924]

Agree about the epergne/lamp function. I've only seen a couple of these over the years; obviously, a small vase full of water and flowers might not be the best thing to sit on top of an electric lamp.

The color of the vase seems more like 1970s than 1930s.

[mart]

I am sure thinking later repro !!  I enlarged the pic and even wire that was spliced into doesn`t look like older types !!   I am guessing this is from 40`s or later !!

[bigwull]

I've never seen light bulbs like this before, either. Are these old?

The light bulbs are modern...see link...they are called Bent Tip bulbs..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frosted-Bent-Halogen-Candle-Light/dp/B003JG19JI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1355154984&sr=8-7

[Debbelle]

Here are some pictures of the wiring inside the 'box' that opens on a hinge. The first picture is the top part that leads to the petal lights, and the second picture is the bottom inside of the 'box' - which also shows the light bulb in there. The third picture is one of the petal light bulbs - which is broken (happened when I turned on the lamp). This is not like any bulb I've seen recently. ?

The wiring inside definitely is cloth. Hope this helps. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.