The Banquet lamp was a very ornate lamp. It was used, as the name implies, in hotels, places of public gatherings, homes of the wealthy and in all the places that the wealthy frequented.
~~Usually they were brass, but they were occasionally made of other metals too. Sometimes you will find a lamp made of two metals, such as brass and pewter or brass with an iron base.
~~The Edward Miller Co. and the Bradley & Hubbard Co. are two of the more prominent manufacturers of these lamps. There was no particular design that they seemed to follow, just make it beautiful and keep it classy. The globes and shades of many of the lamps have been broken over the years and you will find many treasures with replacement globes. That doesn't detract from the beauty of the lamp and shouldn't stop you from having one in your home.
~~This beautiful lamp on the left, brightens our dining room by sitting in the middle of the dining room table flanked by the two tall slender brass Piano Banquet Lamps by Bradley & Hubbard, below and right.
~~The bases of these lamps are iron and the columns and fonts are brass. These three lamps on a pine table with a high sheen make for an impressive sight.
~~Lamp collecting should always be fun, and each and every lamp should be a joy to live with. The lamp pictured below, left graces our breakfast area. The pink chimney is an addition, it is a Fenton shade with a 4" fitter. Originally it could have had a clear shade possibly etched but certainly not a Fenton. This lamp quite possibly was supplied in a polished brass. The base is iron to add a little weight.
~~Upsetting lamps in the kerosene days was all to common an occurrence. Many a building was lost and many a person was killed or maimed as a result of a dropped or upset oil lamp fire. As pretty as these lamps are, there was a certain degree of danger that the people lived with.
~~We burn our lamps regularly but only with great caution. Never leave a lit kerosene lamp unattended in a room for even a minute.
~~The lamp, right and below, has been fitted with an electrified font. The original fonts of these lamps often were cracked due to an age hardening process that occurs in brass. The font, in this case, was purchased from an aftermarket source. I still have the original font and it can be returned to it's oil burning condition in a matter of seconds. It sits on top of our entertainment center and is used as a television light.
~~I have equipped it with a touch control switch so as not have to drill the lamp to install a traditional switch. All of my lamp electrification procedures require no drilling of holes or cutting of the lamp and do no harm to the antique value of the lamp as the lamp can be restored to it's original oil burning condition in a matter of minutes.