Vintage Mutual Sunset Lamp Co Mica Shade, Bronze Patina 3-Light Table Desk Lamp

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Offering a fine small table lamp by the Mutual Sunset Lamp Company, a venerable American lighting company which produced a … Read more Offering a fine small table lamp by the Mutual Sunset Lamp Company, a venerable American lighting company which produced a wide variety of high quality lamps starting in 1911. This lamp is marked on the bottom: MSLC (in the mold of the metal).

This particular lamp is mostly made of spelter ("white metal") which has been plated and given a dark, rich bronze patina. In general the patina is in excellent condition.

The lamp stands 21 inches tall to the top of that wonderfully designed and crafted, decorative finial. The base is about 6 inches in diameter. The shade is 7 inches high and about 13 1/2 inches in diameter. I'm 99.9% sure that the shade is original to the base, especially given the decorative element at the top of the shade, which matches the design motif of the base.

The candle covers are made of wood, a very rare old-fashioned technique, pre-dating paper covers, suggesting the lamp was made somewhere in the teens or early twenties. Mica shades were all the rage during that period.

A single on-off switch on the base allows the operation of three bulbs, and you can use any size wattage you choose, which will give you lots of light.

The lamp appears to have been at least partially rewired at some point. It is in perfect working order, and has been fully tested.

There are some lighter areas on the mica which are practically invisible -- barely noticeable -- when the lights are on. The origin of these areas is a mystery.

Ideal for a desk or a side table, an excellent light source and a stately presence. See less