I'm looking for information on a small pedestal table/lamp my father bought at an estate sale in Canada. It's about 3 feet tall. The post and table are chrome. The post extends about a foot above the round table, and is topped by a steel passenger airplane. The propellers turn and the light is actually inside the plane, and shines through several little windows in the plane. The bottom of the plane is marked "Metalcraft Mfg Co" and has a Canadian patent. There is a number stamped into the steel on the bottom of the plane, and another number on a sticker. Can you tell me anything about this piece? It does not appear to be a replica.

-- Shannon Hodge (skhodge@brookings.net), June 13, 2001

Answers

I have a similar lamp that is a world's fair reproduction lamp. It has a chrome base with a blue glass world globe that lights up. On top of the globe is a chrome airplane with windows. There is a light inside the plane. The plane also has propellers you can spin. I bought it from a catalogue like Smithsonian or one of the PBS catalogues.

-- Gabrielle Lange (glange@nea.org), June 14, 2001.

i have a tabel lamp that sounds very much like this. a 10-12" airplane with two props and lit from inside (christmas tree light) - cloth covered wire non grounded power plug. - mirror polished 18-24'" table top - ornate post with alabaster dome on top of a chrome base.

if you have information on value, age, or any thing else please reply

thanks

-- Art Sproul (artx@mindless.com), October 18, 2001.

Your lamp was manufactured in the late 1930s to 1940s. It was originally intended to be a tray table. Some of them are intended to be ashtrays. Your tray table is worth about 495.00 if in very good cojnd. The piece is made of zinc and iron, and if there is any damage to the chrome or other parts the value decreases dramatically. I sincerely hope this helps. Best regards, Wayne McMurray, Antiques and tools, Stavely Alberta Canada.

-- wayne mcmurray (mcmurray@telusplanet.net), October 04, 2003.

I saw one on eBay and it had Metalcraft Mfg. on the bottom. I live in Grimsby Ontario Canada where we once had a company called Metalcraft Mfg. in the 40's & 50's .

-- John Allan (JWALLAN@HOTMAIL.COM), April 12, 2004.