The function is to hold something, but if any kind of a lamp would fit, as
you suggest, then you have me surprised.  It is not deep enough and not one
lamp I have ever seen has wooden parts, especially when the flame would be
right up against the wood, and not from the late 19th century.

It clearly cradled something, and it hung on the wall, and it is made with
a top and bottom piece of cast iron, and it has a weird do-hicky rod like
thing running up it, but it clearly is not a lamp holder.

         Dan W.



Josh wrote:
>Dan,
>
>     The lamp cover would not necessarily have to be a full round one. I am
>not saying that I am completely correct, but I do believe I am on the right
>track though. There are many different variations of lamp holders, so to say
>that this is definitley not a lamp holder could be a mistake. Not every
>design is the most efficient. Like It could have been something that someone
>just put together to "get the job done" in a pinch when they did not have
>the money to buy a fancy holder. I have seen alot of design projects built
>by engineering students that would never work practically, but they still
>built them. Trial and error means alot of mistakes along the way. Just don't
>say no right away just because it does not look like the traditional form we
>see everyday.
>
>     Josh Brinker
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Daniel H. Weiskotten" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2003 6:20 PM
>Subject: Re: mystery wooden & metal object from San Diego Co.
>
>
> > It may look like a hanging lantern platform, but cannot be as the platform
> > is only a 4 inch deep arc, not a full round base attached to the back.
>The
> > contraption could not hold a lamp, at least not the kind you are thinking
> > of, with a mercury reflector behind, as it is only half round and mounted
> > right against the back.  A hanging lamp platform would project 6 or 8
> > inches from the wall and have a large round base.
> >
> >
>http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/imageserver.x/00000000/oldwaubesafinds/lamph
>older.jpg
> >
> > It also cannot be a twine dispenser as they need to be fully round to hold
> > the ball of twine.
> >
> > It does appear to be made in the very same fashion, with very similar
> > design of the cast iron, even giving the appearance of being some sort of
> > store fixture from the turn of the 20th century, but its form just doesn't
> > cut it for the function.
> >
> > What it is I haven't a clue ...
> >
> >          Dan W.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 04:30 AM 12/7/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Josh et al,
> > >
> > >Josh, I think you have nearly got it! My grandparents had a cabin in our
> > >local mountains that depended on kerosene lamps for lighting. The wall
> > >lamp in the kitchen had a dish-shaped mirror (not a shield) to reflect
>the
> > >light throughout that portion of the room. It really increased the light.
> > >I suspect Carol's artifact is missing the mirror as well as parts to hold
> > >the light source (kerosene, whale oil, etc.) in place.
> > >
> > >Ron May
> > >Legacy 106, Inc.
> >