A new lamp base

What an interesting day!  One of my clients brought an interesting glass "pot" for us to turn into a lamp base. Well well - we all wondered what was the use.  It has an inscription of "British Syphon"  and a patent number .

I went on the internet and found this interesting information regarding this glass pot:

 This is a Seltzogene soda siphon. These siphons are much sought after as ornaments. The lower glass globe contained the water (or another liquid) to be carbonated whereas the upper globe contained a mixture of tartaric acid and bicarbonate of soda.

This example is in very good condition and is marked British Syphon Company London - Patent 15686. It stands 50 cms in height and is very heavy for its size, weighing in at approximately 6 kilos.  Period:  20th Century

I also found more info on the following facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CM-Creative-Corner/432376820168203?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline

It looks as if this soda siphon could date from the 1870's.  Unfortunately, due to age, the mesh wire is missing (the wire marks are still visible on the pot).  It is made of very thick glass (so that it dont break in the gas making process) and I think the wire mess was there for protection, in case the glass should break.

For now, it will get a second life as a lamp base and will still make its owners proud - for not many people has a lamp base which date from the 1870's  -  140 years later......