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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: MikeB on March 31, 2020, 12:15:10 pm

Title: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on March 31, 2020, 12:15:10 pm
Hi again everyone,

Thanks kindly for your previous help.

I also inherited this bronze stand that was very coveted by the family so I thought to see if anyone had any input on it. I don't see any markings on it.
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on March 31, 2020, 06:43:04 pm
Very nice Victorian plant/fern stand !!  But the inserts look odd being that thick,, did it originally have marble inserts ??  That is what I would have expected !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on March 31, 2020, 09:53:32 pm
I only know it has had these stone inserts as long as I've known but I've only been alive 44 years! So it easily could have been replaced at any time in it's history.
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: cogar on April 01, 2020, 04:29:19 am
MikeB, me thinks you have a ……Victorian Solid Brass/Bronze Fernier Plant Stand.

Here is one on E-bay you can check out …….

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-Filigreed-Victorian-Solid-Brass-Bronze-Fernier-Plant-Stand-2-tier/322134130657 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-Filigreed-Victorian-Solid-Brass-Bronze-Fernier-Plant-Stand-2-tier/322134130657)

Or to see more designs, ……… on DuckDuckGo ……. click this ….

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Arts+and+Craft+bronze+fern+stand&t=h_&iax=images&ia=images (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Arts+and+Craft+bronze+fern+stand&t=h_&iax=images&ia=images)
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on April 01, 2020, 11:01:59 am
Sure does look like it, thanks cogar! Victorian fernier plant stand, who knew!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: Rauville on April 01, 2020, 01:23:04 pm
Over the years, I probably had 8-10 similar pieces pass through my shop. But, I never had one with the added side tiers as yours has. To me, that takes it to a higher level of desirability.
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: ghopper1924 on April 01, 2020, 03:54:29 pm
Yes, very nice! I'd say the stone is onyx and original.
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on April 02, 2020, 12:06:22 pm
Thanks alot everyone. Great to see it is a piece with some history and a bit of allure.

It occured to me that these lamps may be of similar origin as they are brass and the one has the 'onyx' stone in the base as well. Anyone familiar with these lamps, are they from the same era/maker perhaps?
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on April 02, 2020, 06:49:55 pm
Early to mid 1930`s !!  Looks to have been re-wired at some point as most have been !!  I have one quite similar but different shade !  No   way to know the "maker" !!  Each part was made by a different company !!  Metal stand by one,, shade by another,, electrical parts by one more !!  Sellers just assembled  them !!  Very few and only very high end had the facilities to make all the parts !!  Same today !!  Even though the lamp has a name its not always the one who made it !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on April 02, 2020, 07:04:08 pm
Not sure which wire belongs with this lamp !!  Looks like wiring at the bottom is different from that at the top !!  May just be bad pic but the wiring and plug can tell you a lot !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on April 02, 2020, 07:48:12 pm
First two pics are 1 lamp, second two pics are the 2nd lamp.

The 2nd lamp the wire is just tied to the top, sorry for the confusion. Was hard to get a pic of it as it is in behind a bunch of stuff.

The 1st lamp the wire just comes straight out of the center of the base underneath. The plug has been replaced it looks like but still has no ground.

Thanks for your thoughts Mart! Seems quite a few of my grandparents things are from the 1930's!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: cogar on April 03, 2020, 04:12:18 am
Quote
The plug has been replaced it looks like but still has no ground.

There are dozens of commercially available electrical products that do not have a ground wire, lamps are the most commonly found.
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on April 03, 2020, 03:06:29 pm
Agree Cogar !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: KC on April 04, 2020, 11:12:28 pm
Agree Cogar that it is a Fernier/Plant Stand.  This one is definitely unique and more substantial than the average Victorian stand.  IF the stand is in near perfect shape (no cracks, bends, breaks) and the Onyx is in near perfect shape (no cracks, no pitting, no chips, etc.) this beauty could bring closer to $350 - $400!

Nice piece of history!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on April 05, 2020, 11:10:55 am
I would say a bit higher KC since it is a bit more unique than what is normally found !!  I think in the $500. to $600. range !!  But you never know,, especially now with everything in an uproar about this virus going around !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: MikeB on April 05, 2020, 05:32:46 pm
It is in near perfect condition.

I doubt I'll sell it but very glad to know roughly what it is worth if I wanted too.

Polishing the brass won't lower the value will it? I ask because I know for some things it certainly would.I have the tools to do so easily and it would look neat all polished up? I also have too many projects to ever get around to it but I'm curious now if that would detract from it's value.

My thanks
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: mart on April 05, 2020, 06:57:53 pm
Do not polish it !!  Buyers want to see that aged look,, not something that looks new !!   What`s the point of buying an antique if it looks like it was made yesterday ??  It takes a lot of years to get the patina on bronze !!
Title: Re: Old bronze and calcite stand
Post by: KC on April 05, 2020, 10:29:48 pm
Don't polish it - believe it or not that patina is hard to come by!  Now, if you are going to keep it and don't like that look then you are the one to live with it, not us!  :)

I would say it would be a higher sale price Mart but in this market the values have gone down a bit!