Rare 18th Century French Wrought Iron Ratcheting Double - Lamp Trammel Circa 1725
Item History & Price
Very rare 18th century French wrought ironratcheting double-lamp trammel, circa 1725We purchase collections of Continental lighting, metalwork, ceramics, glass & textiles, enabling me to offer a quantity of rareantiques. Please register my store/page in your favorites, for a fine range of 14th to 19th century period metalwork, lighting& other pieces, all guaranteed, as to age, condition & origin. Ihave far more than I can possibly keep up with, as to eBay – and, internati...onalbuyers cannot otherwise "see" pieces listed on eBay UK. Text, formatting & images © 2019 – R. JosefBurdett-Williamson – all rights reserved.Breveté, 2019, par M. R. Josef Burdett-Williamson. ATTENTION – défense de reproduction ! We are veryserious, as to Intellectual Property rights – any violations are reported toeBay,
and our Intellectual Properties attorneys in Leeds & Paris. Please readall my terms of sale carefully!
Elly Burdett
This is in France.Pieces in group photos are for scale.You are only buying the featured trammel.Free collection by appt. is possible:my collections & some of Elly’s many new arrivals can be viewed. Please note: For those not familiar with my eBay store, you are dealing with 2different people in England & France. I’m an antiques dealer, & exhibitat UK antiques shows; my associate in France is an expat American historian ofEuropean Decorative Arts & guest museum curator, with 45 years of advancedexperience.
Dear friends & clients: We have more Fine Arts & Antiques than we canbegin to keep up with, as to eBay – at least 4, 000 period pieces. Group photos will give you a slight idea of the depthof my collections, and Elly's inventory - keep watching this page. R.Josef I very actively collect early French & other Continentallighting, and usually only part with trammeled lighting devices I already haveexamples of. Inasmuch as I focus on lamps, I own numerous ratcheting trammels, including more than a few with original lamps attached - about 75 lamptrammels, and more than 500 lamps. For a glimpse of a few of my finer lamps, look at the group photos for the currently-listed floor-standing splint holder, and the sculpted wrought iron lamp.This is one of the rarest lamp trammels that Elly has offered todate on eBay, but I didn’t take the time to wipe it down with diluted linseedoil, to get rid of the traces of oxidation (and it has a slight residue ofblack paint). Based on the hundreds of trammels & many more lamps I havehandled, I date this rare trammel as circa 1725 – it could be earlier, orslightly later – the form is nearly archaic.What puts this trammel in another category is that it was clearlydesigned to hang two lamps from, and not one – the ratcheting armterminates in the same type of hook as a hearth trammel, or an ordinary single lamp trammel. The length of 2 feet in the closed position and 3 feet 2” extended is both unusual andintentional, to facilitate the distance between two lamps hanging from one trammel(see photos 2 & 4). If not for the fact that I already own otherdouble-trammels that are more exotic and decorated, this would not be for sale.One detail I neglected to get a photo of is the exterior tip of the ratchetinghook – it is very delicately folded over.French lamp trammels are somewhat more common in wrought ironthan copper alloys or wood, but “common” is a relative term – lamp trammels inany material are quite rare – and even more so, when decorated, or with theiroriginal lamps are attached. Lamptrammels with hooks at the end of the ratcheting bars were made for receiving avariety of lamps – in my opinion, those with closed ends were mostly made for aparticular lamp – but this is not 100% sure. It is highlyprobable that they originated in France, evolving from the truly vast range ofFrench hearth trammels – lighting trammels are infrequently seen in otherWestern countries, except on Flemish & German chandeliers. Similarly, theFrench tradition and variation of hanging fat lamps, candlesticks &lanterns in base metals (& wood) pre-dates the Renaissance, and is trulyremarkable.The only book to properly address lamp or candlestick trammels(French or otherwise) is Raymond Lecoq’s definitive work on French iron - Les Objets de la Vie Domestique (pub. 1979). Unfortunately, it isout of print, difficult to find, & expensive – 300 to 700 Euros - however, it is a must. It is uneven - little space is devoted to the rich diversity ofFrench andirons, firebacks, or non-ecclesiastical pricket candlesticks - but ingeneral, fireplace implements and lighting are well-covered, prior to themid-19th century. Coincidentally, the US reference book, Schiffer’s Antique Iron, waspublished in the same year. It attempts to address early iron in an artificial, Anglo-American contextual vacuum – and fails - ignoring the fact that French& British Isles Decorative Arts have been inexorably intertwined for atleast 2, 500 years. We are independentlylisted with the New EnglandAppraisers Association, for Franceor the UK.Condition:Untouched, with no repairs or replacements, but as-seen and as described.Much of the 4th tooth from the bottom is missing, undoubtedly due tobeing dropped a long time ago (see photos 3, 9 & 11) – and the same commentapplies to the small abraded spot towards the top – but it is only on one side (seephoto 10). The trammel needs a light wiping down with diluted linseed oil – itis the best, and least-invasive treatment I know of for early iron that isoxidized or rusted, and often homogenizes traces of black paint with the ironto such a degree that stripping is not necessary. Photosare high resolution –use magnification for viewing details. Please ask, if you wish additional photos.© R. JosefBurdett-Williamson Certified expert & appraiser, New England Appraisers Association.FoundingTrustee, NewBedford Museum of Glass.Overall closed length – 24”(61 cm.): maximum length – 38” (96.5cm.): maximum trammel width – 2” to 3”, depending on where you measure from(5 to 7.6 cm.). Weight –260 grams, not includingpackaging.Insuredshipping within France is 9 Euros; to the UK & EU is 16 Euros – to NorthAmerica is 28 Euros.We don't charge for packing & handling, & always offer grouped rate posting, with no time limits.We ship from both France & the UK– please read listings carefully – rates& conditions are substantially different.Important!We usually mailwithin 3 to 7 working days from clearance of payment: but request that buyers be understanding of delays due to illness, severe weather, or computer problems: this is strictly a small business, with noemployees! Intolerantbuyers, or those leaving less than 5-star feedback (no longer invisible) willbe black-listed. This is not a"decorator" shop - eBay’s Consumer Goods-generated “Hassle-freereturns” policy does not apply to arbitrary whim, or unqualifiedopinion! Returns areaccepted - if: there is amajor problem with the age, condition or origin of a piece as described;and this is confirmed by aqualified expert with professionalcredentials. Copyright violations, defamation, or attempts at fraud will be dealt with in a legal manner, inNorth America, the UK, or France.Photographs of anyalleged damage are required - they are mandatory for insurance claims.What you pay for shippingis our actual cost – international shipping is stupidlyexpensive - we have absolutely no control over rates – I lose 4% to PayPal, and often absorb extra costs, such as double-boxing.International buyers – please inquire, as to mailing costs!Note:Our independent certifications withthe New England Appraisers Association (in both France & England) expedite Customsclearances, and prevent duties being incorrectly imposed on antiques conformingto the 100 years legal dateline, thus saving buyers 10% to 43% in relevant countries. From France, the postalsystem is fast, efficient, flexible, & based on weight; rates haverecently changed, but often remain less than those of the UK. Up to 2 kilos to North America costs 36Euros; up to 5 kilos to North America costs 53 Euros; up to 10 kilosis 100 Euros, & 20 kilos is 160 Euros – plus 1 Euro per 100 Euros insurance coverage, to a maximumof 1, 000 Euros. Buyers can lowercosts on grouped purchases, depending on the size of the parcel, &insurance coverage - several pieces in one parcel are usually lessexpensive, as to per-item shipping cost – but do ask first!From the UK - Royal Mail can only be used for internationalparcels under 2kilos; measuring less than 90 centimeters total, and with a maximum insurance value of £250 (a recent, &exceedingly dumb decision): FedEx or UPS shipping is largelyvolumetric – the cost of sending a 5-kilo parcel is only marginally higher than1 or 2 kilos – 5 kilos toNorth America can be as little as £50 - versus £28 to £32 for 1 kilo – depending on the size of the parcel, & insurance coverage. Buyers can usually lower shippingcosts on grouped purchases – but again, please ask first. Payments:PayPal, French or UK checks, or bank drafts, & all banktransfers accepted. We areobliged to accept PayPal, but prefer bank transfers, or UK or French checks -PayPal takes a 4% bite out of all transactions - including shipping costs.Please feel free to contact us for grouped rates, andcommissioned, or guided buying in France - including partial or completecontainers, with related services. For period furniture (which we also collect, buy & sell) & other bulk shipping from France to Western Europe &the UK, we can arrange low-cost transport (depending on destination) via bonded& insured shippers.My business associate is an expatriate American historian ofDecorative Arts, a published antiques editor & writer, guest curator, certified appraiser, & internationally respected authority in early glass, lighting, metalwork, sculpture, period furniture & other categories. He hasplaced pieces with French & US museums, including the Smithsonian, &assists me with acquisitions, research & texts. You can buy from me, withconfidence in your purchases. We are separate and private, academic collectors, looking to defray the costs of advancing with our own collections. R. Josef is the only EuropeanDecorative Arts specialist for the NewEngland Appraisers Association residing in theEuropean Union, and is available for expertise or arbitration. We areindependently listed with the New EnglandAppraisers Association, forFrance or the UK – or see my professional contact details, as provided beneath eBayUK listings. ET BurdettDear buyers – apologies for the intrusive copyrightlines, but they are there because R. Josef is an extensively published expertwith ongoing academic & commercial commissions, including forthcomingbooks. Listings often contain original research & information that has notappeared before; several British & Continental eBay sellers have beenreported for plagiarizing formatting & texts. Theiraccounts were canceled – we fiercely protectour Intellectual Property rights – and in court, when necessary.
00238
and our Intellectual Properties attorneys in Leeds & Paris. Please readall my terms of sale carefully!
Elly Burdett
This is in France.Pieces in group photos are for scale.You are only buying the featured trammel.Free collection by appt. is possible:my collections & some of Elly’s many new arrivals can be viewed. Please note: For those not familiar with my eBay store, you are dealing with 2different people in England & France. I’m an antiques dealer, & exhibitat UK antiques shows; my associate in France is an expat American historian ofEuropean Decorative Arts & guest museum curator, with 45 years of advancedexperience.
Dear friends & clients: We have more Fine Arts & Antiques than we canbegin to keep up with, as to eBay – at least 4, 000 period pieces. Group photos will give you a slight idea of the depthof my collections, and Elly's inventory - keep watching this page. R.Josef I very actively collect early French & other Continentallighting, and usually only part with trammeled lighting devices I already haveexamples of. Inasmuch as I focus on lamps, I own numerous ratcheting trammels, including more than a few with original lamps attached - about 75 lamptrammels, and more than 500 lamps. For a glimpse of a few of my finer lamps, look at the group photos for the currently-listed floor-standing splint holder, and the sculpted wrought iron lamp.This is one of the rarest lamp trammels that Elly has offered todate on eBay, but I didn’t take the time to wipe it down with diluted linseedoil, to get rid of the traces of oxidation (and it has a slight residue ofblack paint). Based on the hundreds of trammels & many more lamps I havehandled, I date this rare trammel as circa 1725 – it could be earlier, orslightly later – the form is nearly archaic.What puts this trammel in another category is that it was clearlydesigned to hang two lamps from, and not one – the ratcheting armterminates in the same type of hook as a hearth trammel, or an ordinary single lamp trammel. The length of 2 feet in the closed position and 3 feet 2” extended is both unusual andintentional, to facilitate the distance between two lamps hanging from one trammel(see photos 2 & 4). If not for the fact that I already own otherdouble-trammels that are more exotic and decorated, this would not be for sale.One detail I neglected to get a photo of is the exterior tip of the ratchetinghook – it is very delicately folded over.French lamp trammels are somewhat more common in wrought ironthan copper alloys or wood, but “common” is a relative term – lamp trammels inany material are quite rare – and even more so, when decorated, or with theiroriginal lamps are attached. Lamptrammels with hooks at the end of the ratcheting bars were made for receiving avariety of lamps – in my opinion, those with closed ends were mostly made for aparticular lamp – but this is not 100% sure. It is highlyprobable that they originated in France, evolving from the truly vast range ofFrench hearth trammels – lighting trammels are infrequently seen in otherWestern countries, except on Flemish & German chandeliers. Similarly, theFrench tradition and variation of hanging fat lamps, candlesticks &lanterns in base metals (& wood) pre-dates the Renaissance, and is trulyremarkable.The only book to properly address lamp or candlestick trammels(French or otherwise) is Raymond Lecoq’s definitive work on French iron - Les Objets de la Vie Domestique (pub. 1979). Unfortunately, it isout of print, difficult to find, & expensive – 300 to 700 Euros - however, it is a must. It is uneven - little space is devoted to the rich diversity ofFrench andirons, firebacks, or non-ecclesiastical pricket candlesticks - but ingeneral, fireplace implements and lighting are well-covered, prior to themid-19th century. Coincidentally, the US reference book, Schiffer’s Antique Iron, waspublished in the same year. It attempts to address early iron in an artificial, Anglo-American contextual vacuum – and fails - ignoring the fact that French& British Isles Decorative Arts have been inexorably intertwined for atleast 2, 500 years. We are independentlylisted with the New EnglandAppraisers Association, for Franceor the UK.Condition:Untouched, with no repairs or replacements, but as-seen and as described.Much of the 4th tooth from the bottom is missing, undoubtedly due tobeing dropped a long time ago (see photos 3, 9 & 11) – and the same commentapplies to the small abraded spot towards the top – but it is only on one side (seephoto 10). The trammel needs a light wiping down with diluted linseed oil – itis the best, and least-invasive treatment I know of for early iron that isoxidized or rusted, and often homogenizes traces of black paint with the ironto such a degree that stripping is not necessary. Photosare high resolution –use magnification for viewing details. Please ask, if you wish additional photos.© R. JosefBurdett-Williamson Certified expert & appraiser, New England Appraisers Association.FoundingTrustee, NewBedford Museum of Glass.Overall closed length – 24”(61 cm.): maximum length – 38” (96.5cm.): maximum trammel width – 2” to 3”, depending on where you measure from(5 to 7.6 cm.). Weight –260 grams, not includingpackaging.Insuredshipping within France is 9 Euros; to the UK & EU is 16 Euros – to NorthAmerica is 28 Euros.We don't charge for packing & handling, & always offer grouped rate posting, with no time limits.We ship from both France & the UK– please read listings carefully – rates& conditions are substantially different.Important!We usually mailwithin 3 to 7 working days from clearance of payment: but request that buyers be understanding of delays due to illness, severe weather, or computer problems: this is strictly a small business, with noemployees! Intolerantbuyers, or those leaving less than 5-star feedback (no longer invisible) willbe black-listed. This is not a"decorator" shop - eBay’s Consumer Goods-generated “Hassle-freereturns” policy does not apply to arbitrary whim, or unqualifiedopinion! Returns areaccepted - if: there is amajor problem with the age, condition or origin of a piece as described;and this is confirmed by aqualified expert with professionalcredentials. Copyright violations, defamation, or attempts at fraud will be dealt with in a legal manner, inNorth America, the UK, or France.Photographs of anyalleged damage are required - they are mandatory for insurance claims.What you pay for shippingis our actual cost – international shipping is stupidlyexpensive - we have absolutely no control over rates – I lose 4% to PayPal, and often absorb extra costs, such as double-boxing.International buyers – please inquire, as to mailing costs!Note:Our independent certifications withthe New England Appraisers Association (in both France & England) expedite Customsclearances, and prevent duties being incorrectly imposed on antiques conformingto the 100 years legal dateline, thus saving buyers 10% to 43% in relevant countries. From France, the postalsystem is fast, efficient, flexible, & based on weight; rates haverecently changed, but often remain less than those of the UK. Up to 2 kilos to North America costs 36Euros; up to 5 kilos to North America costs 53 Euros; up to 10 kilosis 100 Euros, & 20 kilos is 160 Euros – plus 1 Euro per 100 Euros insurance coverage, to a maximumof 1, 000 Euros. Buyers can lowercosts on grouped purchases, depending on the size of the parcel, &insurance coverage - several pieces in one parcel are usually lessexpensive, as to per-item shipping cost – but do ask first!From the UK - Royal Mail can only be used for internationalparcels under 2kilos; measuring less than 90 centimeters total, and with a maximum insurance value of £250 (a recent, &exceedingly dumb decision): FedEx or UPS shipping is largelyvolumetric – the cost of sending a 5-kilo parcel is only marginally higher than1 or 2 kilos – 5 kilos toNorth America can be as little as £50 - versus £28 to £32 for 1 kilo – depending on the size of the parcel, & insurance coverage. Buyers can usually lower shippingcosts on grouped purchases – but again, please ask first. Payments:PayPal, French or UK checks, or bank drafts, & all banktransfers accepted. We areobliged to accept PayPal, but prefer bank transfers, or UK or French checks -PayPal takes a 4% bite out of all transactions - including shipping costs.Please feel free to contact us for grouped rates, andcommissioned, or guided buying in France - including partial or completecontainers, with related services. For period furniture (which we also collect, buy & sell) & other bulk shipping from France to Western Europe &the UK, we can arrange low-cost transport (depending on destination) via bonded& insured shippers.My business associate is an expatriate American historian ofDecorative Arts, a published antiques editor & writer, guest curator, certified appraiser, & internationally respected authority in early glass, lighting, metalwork, sculpture, period furniture & other categories. He hasplaced pieces with French & US museums, including the Smithsonian, &assists me with acquisitions, research & texts. You can buy from me, withconfidence in your purchases. We are separate and private, academic collectors, looking to defray the costs of advancing with our own collections. R. Josef is the only EuropeanDecorative Arts specialist for the NewEngland Appraisers Association residing in theEuropean Union, and is available for expertise or arbitration. We areindependently listed with the New EnglandAppraisers Association, forFrance or the UK – or see my professional contact details, as provided beneath eBayUK listings. ET BurdettDear buyers – apologies for the intrusive copyrightlines, but they are there because R. Josef is an extensively published expertwith ongoing academic & commercial commissions, including forthcomingbooks. Listings often contain original research & information that has notappeared before; several British & Continental eBay sellers have beenreported for plagiarizing formatting & texts. Theiraccounts were canceled – we fiercely protectour Intellectual Property rights – and in court, when necessary.
00238
