Antique French Three-Arm Bouillotte Lamp, Green Tole Shade with Gilt Laurel — France, Early 20th Century

The bouillotte lamp was invented for the card table and never entirely left it. Named after the French gambling game played by candlelight in the salons of the late eighteenth century, it solved a specific problem with unusual elegance: how to light a table from above without blinding those seated around it. The shade — a metal cylinder, closed at the top, open at the bottom — directed all the light downward while leaving faces in shadow. The shade lowers along the stem as the candles burn down, keeping the light always just above the flames — a mechanism so precisely considered that it remained unchanged from the Directoire period through the Empire and well into the twentieth century.

This lamp is French, early twentieth century, a three-arm bouillotte in brass and patinated metal with the original green tole shade. The base is a circular platform in dark patinated metal, from which three candle arms rise on turned brass columns, each ending in a bobèche and socket, arranged around a central brass stem. The shade suspension rises above on a brass cradle, its crossbar mounted with two small bird finials at either end — the naturalist detail that appears on the best French bouillotte lamps and distinguishes a piece made with care from a plain utility fitting. At the crown, a heart-form loop finial provides the handle for adjusting the shade height. The shade itself is the classic deep green lacquer of the bouillotte tradition, decorated with a continuous running laurel frieze in gilt — individual leaf sprays repeated at even intervals around the full circumference, the restrained ornament that gives the piece its period character without overloading the form.

The lamp has come through in very good vintage condition — the green shade present and sound, the gilt laurel frieze intact, the brass warm and consistent throughout. It arrives fully rewired and ready to use, plug adapted to your country at no charge.

It arrives professionally packed and fully insured. All duties and import charges are our responsibility — you pay nothing beyond the listed price. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

DETAILS:
Material: patinated metal base; brass arms, columns and stem; green lacquered tole shade with gilt laurel frieze; brass cradle with bird finials and heart loop handle
Style/Period: French Empire tradition, early 20th century
Sockets: three — fully rewired and ready to use; plug adapted to your country (US/UK/EU) at no extra charge
Lampshades: original green tole shade included
Shipping: professionally packed, fully insured, worldwide — all import duties paid by us, nothing to settle on delivery
Condition: very good vintage condition; shade present and sound; gilt laurel frieze intact; brass warm and consistent throughout
Returns: accepted within 30 days

Read our condition standard. Please ask if you need additional photographs or measurements.

Worldwide delivery is included in the price. Every piece is individually packed, tracked and fully insured. No shipping charge is added at checkout. If your destination is not listed, please contact us before ordering.

Maison Jaspers pays US tariffs and import duties. For other destinations, local import taxes and duties may apply and are payable by the recipient. Contact us before ordering if you need destination-specific guidance.

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Delivery information

Notify us within 30 days of delivery if you wish to return a piece. No reason is required. You pay return shipping for a change-of-mind return.

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