B&P Lamp Company of McMinnville, Tennessee is selling a reproduction Log Cabin or Schoolhouse lamp (SI-50). The original Log Cabin was made by Atterbury in the late 1800's. The lamp featured a molded-in handle, unique to Atterbury at the time. The reproduction lamp has an applied handle. When placed side by side, the differences become obvious, as shown in the photograph below.
The original Log Cabin, on the left, has a larger handle, allowing two fingers to be inserted. Also, on the Atterbury lamp, note the "band" of glass stretching from the top of the handle to the bottom. This is actually inside of the lamp, part of the pre-form handle that was then molded into the lamp body. The reproduction lamp, show on the right, has a smaller handle -- note the telltale "glob" of glass at the bottom part of the applied handle. In addition, the size of the two lamps are somewhat different. The original lamp is a bit larger as shown in the table below:
| Original Atterbury |
Reproduction Lamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Width of body, not including the handle | 3-3/8" | 3-1/4" |
| Height, to peak of roof | 3-1/8" | 2-7/8" |
| Depth | 2-7/8" | 2-3/4" |
It should also be noted that the Atterbury lamp came in two sizes. Smith Book II, Fig. 238 shows several examples.
The detail on the reproduction lamp is not as good as the original, but unless the lamps are side-by-side, it may be difficult to distinguish between the two.
The B&P lamp comes in clear, amber, a greenish blue, cobalt, milk glass, and possibly other colors. The lamp sells for $22.50 with burner and chimney in the B&P Showroom, perhaps more at the retail level.
We all like to think we couldn't be fooled. But one of our members related a story about one of his expert friends who had just bought a "steal" at a local flea market. The reproduction Log Cabin had the new brass collar removed and replaced with an old, dark collar. There was a "steal" in this case, but it was the expert who got robbed.