German Student Lamp - C. A. Kleeman This student lamp is the original design of the German patentee, "C. A. Kleeman, patented Mar. 10, 1863, re-issued Mar. 29, 1870. C.F.A. Hinrichs, New York, sole agent". That is about as much history as one will find imprinted on an antique item in this day and age. The lamp is in good working order, after adding fuel. The metal work is in fine condition, excepting several pinpoint dings in the cover of the cast iron weighted base. There is a vague pattern of oxidation on the nickel plating. Metalurgically, I don't understand what caused it, because the nickel plating should create a barrier between the brass and the environment. It may be removable with buffing by a competent metal polisher such as a good silversmith. I would classify this as a very good finish rather than mint. The wick-raising device is complete and functional. This is a smaller lamp when compared with the Manhattans: overall height is about the same but the base diameter is about 1\5th smaller: font to font ratio including the bottom finial on the Kleeman is about 8.5"to7.5". Visually the ratio is greater when excluding the finial of the Kleeman. The condition of the shade that came with this lamp is the result of an early tragedy involving Sir Isaac Newton's gravity and some house keeping effort gone wrong. The effort was notable for recovering all the pieces, and the subsequent gluing job gets an "E" for effort but not an "A" for accomplishment! It is an unusual robin's egg blue over white; with NO value included in the price of the lamp! To utilize or not is a decision passed on to the lamp's purchaser. $450.00 P5E2904064 Questions? Ask the Ferret!
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