Identifying my lava lite lamp

[deni g]

I would like to ask your expert help in identifying the model/year of my lava lamp.  Sadly, it fell off a window ledge in a windstorm...the cap broke in 5 or 6 pieces and the yellow liquid came out.  I've posted several photos in my album.  I think it might be a Century, but some of its characteristics don't match the Century description.  Also, would you recommend trying to repair it (if possible) or just selling for parts?  Thank you!

[Rich C]

You can paste you photos right in the thread:

 

It looks like an Aristocrat to me.  If the fluid is all gone, your only hope to restore it is to install a Goo Kit.  Finding a replacement cap will be pretty hard to do though.  If you aren't interested in chasing down the parts and rebuilding it, selling it for parts might be your best bet sorry to say.

The Aristocrat is one of the originals from the 1960s so even as is someone would likely be interested in it.

If you decide to part it out, I might be interested in the bottle and the wax.

[Rich C]

Maybe one of the experienced rebuilders can offer advice and "rebuilding" the fluid, I know some have done it with original wax.  The biggest challenge will be finding a replacement cap.

[Tim Gill]

Are we talking about the water or the wax - a water redo is reltivie straightforward and easy.

Rich C said:

Maybe one of the experienced rebuilders can offer advice and "rebuilding" the fluid, I know some have done it with original wax.  The biggest challenge will be finding a replacement cap.

[Rich C]

That is good to know.  I thought "building" new liquid with vintage wax was hard to do.  If not, then this is good news for the OP assuming they can find a replacement cap.

Tim Gill said:

Are we talking about the water or the wax - a water redo is reltivie straightforward and easy.

Rich C said:

Maybe one of the experienced rebuilders can offer advice and "rebuilding" the fluid, I know some have done it with original wax.  The biggest challenge will be finding a replacement cap.

[deni g]

Thank you all for your continued insight into this sad accident!  The wax is red, and the liquid was yellow.  The color of the stain from the spill was pink, so I think the lamp was going when it was knocked off the sill.  If it had been off, the wax would've been solid and the stain from the liquid would have been yellow...is that right? There is still some wax in the lamp, but it seems not as much as normal.  Later tonight, I'll post a photo of the lid fragments -- perhaps it can be repaired with glue?  Thanks again for your knowledge.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

That's correct. The cap may be repairable, and I would use epoxy. Make sure none of it seeps inside or it'll get in the way of screwing it on, but after gluing from the outside, you could apply a thin layer of something like Bondo, sand very gently, then repaint gold.

I know zero of refilling 70s-80s lamps, but this could be a GooKit, which is a Lava fill in kit form that can be any desired color(s).

[deni g]

[deni g]

deni g said:

[deni g]

I thought I recovered all the fragments, but unfortunately I think a few are missing. 

[Rich C]

Wow, that cap is really smashed.  If you lost some wax too it might be best to goo kit it.  But in your first photo it looks like most or all of it is still there.  The amount the factory put in there varied over the years so it is hard to tell for certain. Even when cold the wax is kind of mushy.

[deni g]

Thanks to all for your feedback.  I'm ready to list this vintage lamp for parts, along with original box.  Does this site have a marketplace for listing used lamps, or do you recommend using eBay?  Thank you. 

[Tim Gill]

You could put it in a post on the buy / sell section hear or just go straight to Ebay, that's probably the best option to get a quick sale on it.

deni g said:

Thanks to all for your feedback.  I'm ready to list this vintage lamp for parts, along with original box.  Does this site have a marketplace for listing used lamps, or do you recommend using eBay?  Thank you.