Hi all I have never seen this one on any paper, so I am unable to give a date (something like 20's ??) This lamp seems to be complet but I will have to change all seals and cleaned it a bit
A little update. the lamp was covered with a durty brown varnish which I didn't like. So the first work was to strip it out. I don't know what this was, but this was difficult. for the rest, the lamp seems to have no damage. A good dismantling and cleaning in citric acide bath and some more elbow grease was only necessory. Looking at the burner's air intakes, I realises that one of the four is closed. I guess there was a more powerfull burner for this lamp which needed more air. We can find this configuration in Unic burners (3 air intakes = 400 CP, 4 air intakes = 800 CP) According to the needle's diameter, this one is around 250 CP. This burner have already been presented. The needle's cleaning system is original (patent n° FR477503A june 1914)here is a drawning. here is the old lady. It seems to hold the pressure with all the new Viton seals I needed to do. Now the lighting test
Welldone Michel . Its really a beautyfull lamp It is strange too - I cant help thinking of a hanginglamp combined with a tablelamp. I think Bre didnt want to complicate things too much inventing a smaller lamphead and yet they came out with this awesome lamp. I cant wait to see it on fire. Claus C
Hi Claus As I have absolutely no paper for this Lamp, I can't say if the hanging loop have been made Bré, or have been added by a previous owner. For me it looks like a DIY, but .....???
Normally the name of the manufacturer is printed in the pressure-meter and often the tank is marked with a name. I know of course you did look for such if it was there, but so many unmarked parts makes me think if it was ordered that way ex. by Bre to make a "test" for the marked? The only thing jumping to my eyes is that the lamp should be liftet just a bit up-wards inside the "harp" to look right. But with no other marks on the tank and harp then one can only speculate. No matter, then it is a lovely lamp, Bre or not to Bre Claus C
Hi Claus I think we don't speak of the same thing... I am talking about the black hanging wire on the top of the lamp. This one, I am not absolutely sure it is Bré made but the lamp is undoubtely A Bré. You can see the manometer and the cleaning needle system undoubtely
This is the first time ever I have seen a Bré manometer The hanging-loop was therefore my least concern. Yes the hanging-loop dont look like the normal Bré-loop from their hanginglamps, but it looks functionel and neatly done. I, myself would leave it on, as one never know Claus C
...Hi Michel !... ...Well done on finding and making this lovely old lamp shine again!... ..It must be all too obvious to most people by the design of the burner etc what fuel is used, but I have looked and cannot see an answer to my head scratching?... ...Also is the cut out in the main body of the green enamel for pre-heating?....If so, then is it similar to the 'Tilley' type that clips on?... ....That is a very lovely Globe you have fitted there!....We call them 'Vaseline' for the soft subtle colours they have, and yours also has ribbing which catches the light and draws the eye even when the Lamp is not lit?.........Lovely! p.s. Would you be able to show or point me to somewhere that shows your mantle fitted?...I'm presuming the spigots on the burner nozzle are to clip it on???... Many thanks for all your time and smashing photos!!! Regards, Pod
Hi Pod The Bré burner seems very small and narrow compared to Unic or Succès burners, for exemple. But I have never seen another model and shape. here is a hollow wire unit, as you can see, even if there no cleaning system here, this is the same form ... in grey. The window in the burner is the preheating hole. You need to slip a lighting forck called "taupette or allumoir" which have been soaked in alcohol. That's the classic way of preheating for almost all old French lamps and stoves. By cons, we can see the differens of the design and building of the cleaning needle system along the time. it's only a guess because of the very small production and therefore lamps to be find. Perhaps a paper will make me wrong some day. The mantle is tightened around a round clip which is held With the 3 spigots of the flame spreader.
..Aha!.......Thanks Michel, that's great!..... .A Fork!...and that mantle adapter...Brilliant! ....But Gaz Lumiere?...is that the 'brand' name or is Gaz=Benzine ???..... ...I'm sorry, it's so obvious to you but I still don't know what Fuel this lovely lamp uses?..
Fuel is gasoline. this mantle box is from UNIC (not from Bré) the Society name was "Société UNIC Lumière" 3 impasse du Moulin Joly, Paris "Gaz d'essence" in French is the result of the gazeification of the gasoline with the heat as you have "Gaz de pétrole" (kerosene) in other lamps.
