Offering a desk lamp that to many would be PERFECT! It has stature, nobility, antiquity. Best of all, it’s eminently practical, holding three standard-based light bulbs. Insofar as the sockets are more rare than the proverbial hen’s teeth, I’ve added an on-line hi-lo switch so the pull chains need NEVER be pulled, unless you want to brag a bit to friends (meaning: the sockets are about a hundred years old and you will NEVER find replacements). The hi-lo switch offers the possibility of having the three bulbs at half power, for those “mood” moments in your office. Crank it up to full wattage for the signing of contracts.
Pairpoint made a variety of lamps, this “directoire” lamp being one of their most traditional and stately. The shade that you see perched upon it is, of course, a far cry from the original, which would have been glass with a reverse-painted or stenciled design, probably breathtakingly beautiful. Who knows which of the children savaged it with the toss of a football?
In its place, a solid brass, age-appropriate (1910-1920?) six-sided shade with a decorative element and its original nickel finish, with two-tone lacquered patina.
The key which you see in one of the photos (around the top of the shade) allows the immediate raising and lowering of the shade. How handy.
The original silver plating on the base has darkened over the decades due to the loss or compromise of the lacquer; then again, do you want your antiques looking brand new?! Of course most of the metal under that patina is either solid brass or white metal, so at least you won’t be dealing with any rust!
The lamp is signed, on the washer underneath the nut that holds the whole affair together. I’ve attempted to photograph it, and you can just make out the last few letters of the word “PAIRPOINT” in the photo. Anyone who knows his lamps recognizes this as the work of Pairpoint.
As mentioned, this lamp has considerable stature, thanks to its height of 27 inches; the 15 inch side-to-side measurement of the shade (17 ½ on the diagonal) adds to that and makes for excellent size and proportions.
It turns out that the design maestros at the Pairpoint Company weren’t so savvy at mechanics. The marble base is held onto the rest of the works by a formidable nut, but there was a threaded nipple inside which was press-fitted to the underside of the metal piece which sits atop the marble. It pulled out quite easily from its mooring during the rewiring of the lamp (the lamp is rewired only to the base, the wiring into the sockets is original). I’ve installed a different nipple inside these works but had to “J.B. Weld” it into place, there being no alternatives. J.B Weld is a two-part metal-repair epoxy, the strongest on the market, and should hold well. HOWEVER, that depends on how you handle the lamp. It should always be picked up by the marble base and needs to be handled with care. The nut on the bottom should never be over-tightened. Get the picture? Like many of our antiques, it requires respect. And, given that respect, you’ll be rewarded with beauty and function. Good deal, huh?