High quality lamp fixtures of this type were first made-to-order one at a time by its inventor, Doctor Otis White. In the professional community, this type of early Edisonian lamp fixture was very much coveted and became as much a scientific instrument as it was a beautiful lamp. Known by Professionals as their most valued tool because it allowed the lamp to be quickly positioned to direct light where it was most needed. At the time, such a feature was invaluable.
Soon after its invention, Doctors, Dentists, Banker's, and Lawyer's found the quality of adjustability of this specialty electric lamp fixture to have no rival. The only gentlemanly issue was whether you called it a Doctor's lamp, a Dentist's lamp, a Banker's lamp, etc., etc.. No doubt the answer depended on which profession was yours.
Early Edisonian style lamps like this one were for sale before the turn-of-the-century, listed in electrical supply specialty catalogs of the time. These "Specialty" electric lamp fixtures were made to order specifically for medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Because they were among the earliest electric lighting fixtures in the 1880's and 1890's, they were first "hard wired" to the ceiling or wall, at a time before the plug and receptacle became a brand new innovation. Their price at the time was expensive, ranging from approximately $4.00 to $8.00 just for an adjustable fixture arm. Typically the specialty catalog would state, "list prices do not include wiring, shades or sockets." in the 1890's, the price of this adjustable lamp fixture complete with wiring, adjustable brass hood deflector shade, Edison socket, and GE carbon light bulb would have been approximately $10.00 to $15.00. A very very hefty price only Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, Industrialist, and Bankers could afford.
The inventor, Otis Charles White, was a practicing Dentist in Massachusetts during the days when gas lamps were the top lighting technology. At that time, because there was no source for quality adjustable lamps, Otis White invented and built the first "gas" lamp fixture designed specifically for his own use in Dentistry. In the 1880's, Edison incandescent electric lamps began to quickly replace gas lighting. A true visionary in his own field, Doctor White set out to redesign his medical specialty gas lamp fixture by adapting electric components to his fixture. Doctor White understood that Dentistry and other procedures required a special light source that could be easily, quickly, and reliably directed and locked upon the important area of need. Doctor White was familiar with this special requirement because of his early experiments with his first gas Dentist's lamp. He put his skill and attention to detail, and the popularity of his new electric "Dentist's" light became the talk of the industry. Colleagues began to request it. To keep up with this new growing demand, Doctor White founded the O.C. White Company in 1894. Immediately O.C. White Company became famous, known worldwide as the maker of the finest professional adjustable specialty lighting fixtures in the 1890's. The O.C. White Company is still in business today (and can be researched by searching on Google).
Features and details: this specialty lamp fixture has a superbly detailed cast iron Victorian base that is approximately eight inches square and three inches high. The base is accented with a beautifully proportioned round two inch cast brass transition ring made in a classic embossed floral design. The smooth brass stem is 1.5" diameter and 7" tall up to the second transition. The stem vertical extension is a 10" x 5/8" diameter "barber pole" brass rope. At the top of the barber pole stem is a brass ball. The adjustable "boom" arm has the O. C. White solid cast iron adjustor equipped with their trademark heavy 1.5" diameter iron knob (cast with eight individual 3/8" balls equally spaced around the circumference). The adjuster allows the boom arm to be set at a desired angle and moved up and down the vertical stem to change height. The end of the boom arm has a second adjuster made of solid cast iron used to angle the lamp socket. The socket base is furnished with a secondary brass arm that supports the brass lamp hood. The hood shrouds the Edison lamp socket and light bulb. The solid brass hood has a craftsman hammered embossed festoon filigree accent and is attached via a scalloped self tensioned adjustment hinge that allows the illuminating light to be fine tuned and directed as needed. This extraordinary lamp fixture stands 24" tall is 24" long and 8" wide.
This is NOT a reproduction, this is an authentic century old solid brass and cast iron period lamp, which has been professionally cleaned and re-wired with new old stock traditional gold silk-wound wire lamp cord (9 ft.).
Note about the Edison lamp socket: this socket has the traditional trademark "Edison Patents" spelled out and precisely impressed into the solid brass socket case. The electric insulator disk in the socket is made of natural mica and is visible when the light bulb is removed. The Mica insulator disk is a mark of early Edison lamp sockets made in the late 1880's to the mid 1890's.
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