Questions and Answers About Antique Lamps

There are many enthusiasts and collectors of antique lamps in today's world, but they still have questions that need to be answered about the those lamps that they love so much! With antique lamps, there may be unfamiliar terminology that can be confusing for the new collector. A few examples follow --

"What does UNO fitter and UNO holder mean?"

Most floor lamps and bridge antique lamps have shades that require a UNO fitter, UNO thread on the UNO holder. The UNO holder is also the light socket that the light bulb will go into. Around its edge is the UNO thread which allows the UNO fitter to screw onto. The UNO shade is placed on the UNO holder and then kept in to place by the UNO fitter. This type of antique lamp shade is not too much used today because it has been considered a fire hazard with the lamp shade placed so close to the light source.

Another question could be, "What is an IES shade?"

This type of antique lamp shade is made of colored glass that is white and the actual shape of the shade is similar to a cone. This type of shade usually only comes in three sizes and they are six inch, eight inch, or ten inch sizes.

Another question that might be asked but usually isn't (because the person who wants to ask it might think that it is a goofy question to ask but as the saying goes, "the only dumb question is the one that is never asked"), is,

"Does a fabric lamp shade on antique lamps ever catch on fire?"

The answer to this question is yes and no. Fabric lamp shades are not all fabric. The decorative fabric is fitted on the outside of the actual shade frame and is protected from the heat of the light bulb by the shade material that is heat-resistant. If the shade is home-made and not properly created according to fire and safety standards, then the fabric shade could definitely catch on fire because of the heat of the light bulb.

These are only a few examples of many questions that one could ask about antique lamps and there are many resources where you could go to in order to find the answer that you are looking for. The best resource would be the internet. There is a vast amount of information on the internet where you could find out information on basically everything that has to do with antique lamps.

Your public library can also be a very valuable resource -- there are many guidebooks being published now to help the collector in all sorts of areas. Lastly, if you know of another avid collector of antique lamps, one who has been doing this for many years whose judgment you trust, you can try to come alongside of them -- they can be a valuable mentor, someone who can show you the ropes and avoid the pitfalls associated with this type of collecting.