So, I bought a lamp...

[oldpaul]

This thread is partially in reference to Aragorn's Bodeo posit. I saw this lamp on ebay last November with a price of $119.99 plus shipping. Either it was a repairable 1889 Bodeo revolver or I paid too much for a very kitschy or as my wife said, very ugly lamp. At nearly sixty-six years I have risked more for less so I pushed the buy it now button and in due time it arrived. The first two pictures are the ebay photos. With a bulb inserted, it even worked!! (9th pic).
It was quickly determined that it was indeed the "Real McCoy", made by Glisenti at Brescia sometime after 1889 (4th pic). The serial number is B2131 with no date stamp and if I've read the internet sources correctly, it was made before 1900, perhaps 1892 to 1894. Hopefully an Italophile on this forum can be more specific. I opted to try and restore this old beast and if unsuccessful, I still would have an unusual lamp for the gun room. I have since read that Interarms did these lamp 'conversions' sometime in the '60s but have been unable to confirm that information.
First the bad news. It was arc welded to a horseshoe at the end of the butt and painted with a thick coat of black paint. The cylinder was welded to the frame in two places on the left side (6th pic). A threaded lamp adapter was welded to the muzzle looking somewhat like a one time use only, silencer adapter(8th pic). The trigger and hammer were tack welded to the inside of the frame, the hammer had been cut just below the pivot pin and the hammer face (firing pin) had been ground flat. The lamp cord required access through the gun so a hole was drilled in the left hand grip and through the rear of the frame at the firing pin hole. Last and probably least the lanyard ring is missing. I will post more as my time allows. Tom

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