Nepalese Goblet-Form Oil Lamp

A wide cup balanced on a waisted stem, black in patches like old paint.

This goblet-form oil lamp is from Nepal, and dates to the 19th century. It is brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that is easy to cast, and old brass often shows a deep golden or brown patina. A broad, open bowl with a thick lip rises from a narrow waisted stem to a flared conical foot. Black patches cover the bowl and foot in uneven splotches, while the exposed metal glows a warm amber. It is 1.4 inches high and 1.25 in diameter.

Not a speck of polish was wasted on the bowl.