A PAIR OF NAPOLEON III GREEN-LACQUERED TOLE AND GILT-METAL LAMPS

This lamp model, invented in 1809, was called Sinumbre (without shadow), as the position of the oil tank, located in a hollow ring around the flame, minimized the shadow carried by the lamp. This ring is connected to the flame by two nozzles and supports a shade of frosted and engraved glass. Most of the Sinumbre lamps date back to 1840 and several are illustrated in J. Bourne and V. Brett, L'Art du Luminaire, Flammarion, Paris, 1992, p. 172.