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Mining Lamps, Badges & Ephemra
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RARE THORNTON BIRMINGHAM ELOIN LAMP SOLD ON E-BAY

300533702262

The above item is an Eloin Thorntons lamp 1835-ish. Went for £9500+ on E-Bay. I would have had the winning bid but I pulled it at last minute because it was too good to be true!! Better to be safe than sorry! A lamp of this value needs handling in the flesh to be sure. However if genuine would be worth £20,000 ish, so buyer has a bargain if genuine.
There is reputed to be only one in UK, in the Science Museum, so how one pops up in Netherlands in pristine condition with no provenance at auction is a mystery. Everything about it looks right, even the concave glass, the gauze topped chimney, the air underfeed ring, the sliding dust cover over the air ring, etc. One puzzling feature is the accurate circular line of flux mark on the bottom of the oil vessel, even though the soldering is ragged.
A mystery!!
Anyone else with any thoughts?

Re: RARE THORNTON BIRMINGHAM ELOIN LAMP SOLD ON E-BAY

Have a look on the website of the Newcastle upon Tyne Mining Institute at www.mininginstitute.org.uk and go to 'Papers' then scroll down to 'Other items' and look for the 'catalogue of lamps.....' In the index to the lamps click on 'Eloin' and you will be given a description and a photo.

Read also the introduction to the catalogue.

Re: RARE THORNTON BIRMINGHAM ELOIN LAMP SOLD ON E-BAY

Thanks for that Alan.
The picture of the Thornton Eloin is very similar to the lamp just sold, especially the badge, it had also been modified to have the pail handle instead of hook and the chimney was slightly different, but overall I would guess the lamp sold was genuine. What do you think?

Re: RARE THORNTON BIRMINGHAM ELOIN LAMP SOLD ON E-BAY

IMO the lamp is right. The only slight concern would be the method of glass making. To my knowledge "shaped" glasses, like this, were formed in wooden, cork lined moulds. There appear to ridges on this one, suggesting it was blown. Not that that shows anything untoward...