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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Please. I need to know if this is an authentic lamp or a knock off. Ball park value if authentic? Thank you.

More photos available if needed.

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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

I have handled many pieces like this since I've been involved with antiques.  During the Great Depression, many people had to sell expensive vases, urns, statuary, etc. for pennies on the dollar.  There were also piles of expensive furniture and houshold items in front of houses that people were thrown out of.  Those who had the means took these items and sold them off to several lamp companies that then turned them into lamps during the late 1930's and 1940's.  It looks like this is such a piece. 

 

It looks like it was at one time a vase of some kind made in Germany.  The pictures look like they are real paintings and not transfer decals.  The raised gold also contributes to this being a one-time quality piece.  The painting is also signed MAX.  I remember this signature being on very expensive German porcelain pieces. 

 

The style of brass base is the give away.  These pieces were mounted on such fancy brass bases, so that they could be electrified.  I own a Porcelain Dresden figurine lamp of a Victorian Lady that is absolutely beautiful.  It was made into a lamp in the 1940's and the base resembles the one you show in the picture.  You really have to have someone who knows about fine porcelain look at this to determine authenticity, but it looks real enough to me. 

Try to show the actual lamp fixture in your pictures, so that I can see it this really fits what I just wrote here.  Does it have a pull chain?   Does it have a push through or toggle switch?  If it does, then it's probably what I've described. 

 

Does the piece being made into a lamp hurt its value.  Yes, unfortunately, it does.  If it was a vase in its previous life, then they had to drill a hole in it to make it into a lamp.  This always hurts value on vases. 

 

Good luck with this.  It truly is a beautiful piece. 

Message 2 of 9
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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Thank you very much for the informative reply. I have more photos. Also note the hand stamped "Made in France".

Message 3 of 9
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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Where is the French backstamp?  What does it say on the brass sockets?  They look relatively new.  The pull chain is a give away as far as it being from the thirties or forties.  I mean the fixture, not the actual porcelain.  Let me know.

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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

The brass light sockets say Leviton.Made In France.jpgIMG_1055.JPGImg_1050.jpgImg_1046.jpgImg_1049.jpgImg_1048.jpgImg_1043.jpgImg_1045.jpgImg_1044.jpgImg_1043.jpg

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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

This lamp has been rewired more recently.  The sockets looked too new to me.  I suspect that this could  very well be a piece of Sevres Porcelain.  An artist who marked his pieces A. MAX did work for the French company.

 

The gold raised detail around the china painted scene is called Ormolu.  I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly.  This could be a valuable piece being from the hundreds of dollars, or even a thousand dollars.  If it were an undisturbed piece and not made into a lamp all those years ago, it could be thousands of dollars.  You really need to get this piece to a professional, or email some of the appraisers with your pictures from the Antiques Road Show on PBS.  If you look up the website, I've found that there are many who are eager to help identify pieces and even offer the more expensive ones for auction. 

 

Again, I wish you good luck with this wonderful find.  Just make sure you do your homework and not just give it away for pennies.  It really could be something worth while. 

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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Thank you. Reaching out to someone now.
Message 7 of 9
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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Hi!  I was just wondering how you ever made out with this lamp.  Did you hit the jackpot?

Message 8 of 9
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Valuable antique Victorian table lamp?

Nope.... Didn't make a move on it. 

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