Continental 4 legged lamp

[michelle R yoder]

Hello everyone! I am new here, I happened upon this site while looking for information on the lamp that I have. I now know it is a continental lamp, but I think mine must be a harder to find one. I got it at an auction about 4 or 5 years ago, and I knew that since it was candle powered, it was a rarer one, so I put it away,and forgot about it. i do have several other lamps, and I really enjoy watching them. The lamp that I have has the base with 4 legs. Does anyone know the correct name for it?

[michelle R yoder]

Ok, I have taken a few more pictures. It looks like there may be a clip under the metal collar, but I don't know if that is it or not. The bottom of the collar is wrapped in something, is this the disc? I doubt it, but look at the pictures to see what you think!

[michelle R yoder]

[michelle R yoder]

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Thanks, Michelle! The asbestos disk must have slipped into those wires somehow. Does the globe come out of the collar?

 

Not that you would, but I'm betting the lamp would still flow if you ran it. Putting it on a Consort base probably would just overheat it - these bottles used a special mix. I think there's a good chance all six of the 60s globe sizes (Consort, Continental [small cylinders], Empress/Regency [large cylinders], Aristocrat [52oz. conical], Enchantress ['Elegant' slim globe], and Imperial [huge cylinder for floor lamp]) used slightly different mixes.

[michelle R yoder]

Hi Jonas. The globe does come out of the collar. I seriously doubt if I will ever light it. If this is a rare or only exsisting lamp, I surely wouldn't want to screw something up!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

If you do eventually trade or sell it to another collector - hopefully Bryin, who is *this* close to having one of every model ever made by Lava Corp. - they'll try out the globe on a later model lamp to see if it flows. Better yet, perhaps I'll eventually find one of the candle cups (I always look for the later ones, but now I know what this kind looks like) that's been used, and I won't feel bad about burning it out, cleaning out the inside, and sending it to you so you can drop in a tealight and watch the thing do its stuff! These 60s models had a flow unmatched by any other US-made model and equaled only by the early British Crestworth lamps, known to collectors as "serpentine flow" for its twisting snakelike formations. The floor model Imperial is the kind of serpentine flow, but all 60s models could do it originally.

[michelle R yoder]

Do you think that any ole votive candle would be safe to use if I were to find another base?Would it maybe burn too hot for it? I know sometimes I see vintage mosquito candles that have the netting over them, and I know they still sell them, and wonder if maybe the globe would fit on one of these,  but do you think that it would be safe taking a chance? I have no idea, but I know you will!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Okay, I'm certain about the later models, not about this one. With the later Continentals, owners frequently empty the mostly-used wax from the bases, clean them inside, drop in one of the tealights in its aluminum cup, and the lamp runs just fine.

 

The bulbous, colored glass cups with the white plastic netting on the outside are one option; restaurant supply stores sell a similar unit, also in colored glass, with a deeply textured surface and no netting. I'd say take one of each and see which one, if either, your lamp's collar fits on without being wobbly. If it matches either, burn it until the wax is almost completely used up, then dump out the molten wax and scrub out the inside. Drop in a tealight, light with a long match, and put your globe and collar on top. See if you can find a circular metal, ceramic or glass ashtray or a bottom tray for a clay flowerpot to stand the glass cup in so it stands less of a chance of tipping - the function performed by the legs on your lamp and by the metal tray on the later ones. I wouldn't attempt to light your existing candle, keep it as-is and don't try to adapts its legs to a new cup.