1960's Crestworth Astro, can anyone identify model etc.

[Susan]

Hi everyone, well after a very long wait the lamp I think I paid way too much money, for has arrived. It is as cloudy as heck and looks to have something wrong with the wax.

Please can anyone give me further details or comments, good or bad comments welcome.

The actual metal base is in two bits, the top half of the cone base screws into the bottom bit. Strange thing is it has a metal base (I didn't think the early ones had a metal base)

The wax is all blotchy and the liquid is very cloudy, it looked clear on the sellers photo and it also looked lower on that photo than it is now.

I didn't know if the copper effect top came off like a normal astro so thought I'd check and it wasn't sealed so, it's not looking good so far. There's one heck of a lot of wax in there which is bright orange in colour. The liquid is an orange/yellow colour.

Have a bought a pup please?

Thanks for your help :)

Don't know exacty how to attach photos but I will add three on this post and then add the others in other posts.

[Susan]

The globe has a screw top that has a black "O"ring which sits on top of the glass lip.

More pictures.

I'VE PUT FURTHER PHOTOS IN MY PHOTO ALBUM.

[Bill Smith]

Hi Sue, I think Astrobaby is the one to answer your questions he seems quite knowledgeable on all things to do will lava lamps. I am new to collecting and am also fed up with buying lamps from people on ebay only to find that when they arrive they do not match the seller listing description or there is some thing wrong with them. Hope some one on here can help you with your questions.

[Susan]

Thanks for your replies :)

It does have a two piece base but, it is strange that it also has a base that sits on the floor. From what I understand, the two piece bases didn't have an actual base.

Rich, remember the conversation we had regards a lamp that a guy was selling? Well this is the lamp. As ever, it's the postage that kills the job £12.50!!! Only cost £7.60 to actually send it. I wouldn't mind, it looked crystal clear on the photo, my eyes must be getting old lol. The bottle travelled on it's side in the box, that will not have helped the situation.

[Susan]

Yes, I know what you mean about the postage cost. I got the price wrong, just checked the box and it was actually £7.06 not £7.60. It was a large box with lots of bubble wrap in though. I've paid around £8 for a shoe box with no packaging in the past, goodness knows how it got here in one piece. At least this one had some packaging in the box.

So, do I have to run it to try to clear it? I've just got it sitting at the moment.

[LAVAMAN-UK]

Well unfortunately it looks like it has past its best! If you look at the bottom of the bottle there is a white residue. This is where the wax is turning into a nasty emulsion because the bottle is very old. This is not reversable and will only get worse over time. Shipped sideways or not the clouding was going to happen.

You are going to be best of emptying the bottle of its contents and refilling with a newer Mathmos bottle.

As for the lamp itself I believe it is a MK2. The base is made of 2 sections and the bolt going through the aluminium base plate holds the 2 together.

Hope this helps,

[Susan]

Thanks very much for your help Lavaman-UK. How many Mathmos bottles would have have to buy to fill that bottle? Worse still, how would I go about doing that? This is going to end up costly by the looks of it.

Did I pay too much at £68.50 including the P&P?

[Susan]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, when it's off it has a couple of mm's air gap, so the water level is on view.

I like the fact that the base is in two bits and screws together, I also love the colour of it too.

There are not scratches on it, just a dent at the back, which is a shame, but it hasn't damaged the finish, which is good.

The guy said he purchased it in 1966 and it hasn't seen much action and hasn't been used for the last twenty years.

[Susan]

Yes the bottle is different to the modern ones. The copper finished cap screws onto the bottle and as soon as you screw off the cap you are into the actual bottle with a black rubber seal. I didn't know that would happen, I was trying to take off the copper bit thinking it would go on another bottle lol

[Susan]

Hey Astro, I don't know if it flows yet lol, I'm letting it settle for today, I will try it tomorrow evening.

How would I filter please?

[Susan]

Thanks Astro, I will do that when the time comes. I will see if it runs tomorrow and see what it looks like then. Once it is past it, I will change the fluid over then.

Sounds like a real daunting task to do! you can tell I've not done lava changes etc.

[Susan]

What type of filter do you buy? I'm up on filters but, only fishkeeping filters lol. I agree that it is best left original if possible, that's what I intend to do if I can.

Thanks for the info regards the copper caps, yes, it's glued in as you say.

I'm going to test it when I get home this afternoon, so I will let you know if it's working.

[Susan]

Thanks for that info Rich, I will buy one of those at some point, as cloudy bottles do my head in lol.

I've been running the Crestworth for nearly three hours and it is starting to flow now. See pics.

Although, it is hardly cloudy, one of my recent china lamps is far, far worse............on the photos is looks very, very cloudy, not the case. It doesn't look 10% as cloudy as it does on the photos. It flows totally differently to the Mathmos Astros, very nice to watch. I will put some more photos on later today when it's warmed up more.