Table lamp repair

[Dave Baker]

I have a rather nice vase table lamp which was given to me 10 years or so ago. I have no idea where it originated from. Last night as I switched it on there was a loud flash, some sparks and a noticeable absence of light output. Stripping it down it appears that where the bulb plugs in is a brass assembly holding a plastic fitting with two sprung loaded metal pins to contact the bulb and the horizontal on/off switch plunger. One metal pin is no longer sprung loaded so it looks like the spring underneath it broke or melted.

Unscrewing the threaded brass rings which hold the lampshade holder and bulb holder together I get to the aforementioned plastic bit into which the electrical cable goes which is a sealed unit so no chance of getting inside to fix it. On the underside is embossed "GM Série 100" so it looks like a French manufacturer. It's also obviously an integral part of the whole brass assembly which the bulb plugs into for this particular lamp and sized to fit into the other bits. Other lamps I've checked have completely different sizes and configurations of this bulb holder assembly bit so I can't just swap out something from another lamp.

Google is no help in revealing who GM is other than apparently a large and close to bankrupt car manufacturer.

Does anyone have any idea of where I might get a new part from or who GM is?

[Toby]

Can you take a picture of the bulb holder, as you might be able to replace the whole thing.

Would any of these work?

[fictitiousemail]

Can you not get access to "inside" the lamp at all ..A pic would help us if poss....Often the lampholders screw in to a small threded piece which is secured inside and the flex goes through it and into the lampholder . I thought when I read the above and saw

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Stripping it down it appears that where the bulb plugs in is a brass assembly holding a plastic fitting with two sprung loaded metal pins to contact the bulb and the horizontal on/off switch plunger. One metal pin is no longer sprung loaded so it looks like the spring underneath it broke or melted."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ that you were taking the piss as if you didn't know how a BC lampholder worked .:-)

[Dave Baker]

they might well. The thread that the lampholder screws onto measures up at 3/8" but they also do a 3/8" to 1/2" adaptor so that seems to be solved. Whether the lamp shade holder bit is a standard size I'm not yet sure. Thank you for that link.

[Adrian]

If you can get back to the point where you have the threaded 'post' on top of the lamp then I have tons of the brass fittings that screw onto this post (10mm) and are complete with the ceramic 'insert' with the spring-loaded pins... - assuming that the lamp takes a standard bayonet cap lamp...

Drop me a private email ( [e-mail]) and I'll put one in the post to you - might take a few days, what with Christmas & all

Adrian - Inspired-glass, Co Cork, Ireland