1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
_____________________________________
L
E G E N D :
Years
General
information
Model
Names
Descriptions
Variations
known/seen
Color
Combinations - Lava color/ Liquid color
_____________________________________
e of
these plus two of the standard 1960s line colors became the three standard
1970s line colors.
Early
1970s
Company changes hands; becomes Lava-Simplex Corp. Model lineup is changed completely. Unknown at what times models were started/discontinued, but here's a basic list:
Aristocrat
Now
with gold base with pinholes instead of white w/ gold squiggles.
Enchantress
Tall,
slim cone-on-cone lamp, "hourglass" base, cone shape bottle, cap. Brass
metal.
Known
variations: Perhaps a prototype? A lamp cap which is, as usual, screw on
gold-colored plastic, but instead of black under the gold pain, it is red
which shows slightly when lamp is on; cap is approx. 1/8" taller than normal
Enchantress size cap.
Enchantress
Planter
Same
as Enchantress, with added shallow tray at base's midpoint. Came with a
ring of plastic flowers and greenery. Original flowers are six large white
with six wide petals each, many small closed flowers, both yellow and sunset
orange, large number of tiny white six-point flowers, and light green small-leaf
foliage.
Known
variations: May or may not be original - satin silver base/cap.
Elegant
Vase
Slimmer
version of Enchantress (sometimes called Enchantress by company). Bottle
is gently tapered, base is gentle cone-on-cone made from one piece of smooth
metal. Cap is plastic with glued-on metal overcap. If overcap is missing,
plastic cap is vertically fluted (reeded) with fine lines. Metal finish,
see "variations" section.
Known
variations: Version with satin silver metal and very fine dust-like glitter
that moves by convection currents in a heat-reactive thick liquid, instead
of lava wax is a rare variation. This may be an early Gem Lite prototype.
Box seen with one identifies this Elegant Vase as "Enchantress Lava Lite
Model # 8100", the Enchantress model number.
Elegant
Planter
Same,
with planter dish at midpoint. Came with plastic flower ring, original
style generally unknown.
Known
variations that go for both Vase and Planter Elegant models: Metal colors
seen include chrome, copper, satin brass, satin silver, etc. Very little
catalog info gives no indication of standard metal colors, unusual color
combinations sometimes matching UK-made Crestworth lamps sometimes show
up. Company sometimes refers to Elegant Vase and Planter models using Enchantress
names and model numbers.
Capri
A
very simple model, this lamp used a Consort bottle and cap, and had a cylinder
base with a very small rolled edge at the top, no wider "step" at the top
(lamp had internal supports for bottle). Bottom of cylinder was attached
to a short, narrow flared cone. Metal finish was satin brass or satin silver.
Mediterranean
Consort
bottle/cap in cylinder base with wider upper edge. Base sits about 4" off
table with cord coming out of bottom. Three sets of well-made wrought-iron-look
scrollwork support the base cylinder. Base, cap and scrollwork are all
a dull jet black, very mysterious.
Known
variations: A Mediterranean has been found in a Gem Lite box, with an apparently
original silver/clear Gem Lite bottle. Also, the scrollwork pieces are
two sections, spot-welded together; a few catalogs show the center "S"
scroll reversed, top of the "S" pointing outward rather than inward.
Lava
Coach Lantern
A
model well-known by collectors for the simple reason that everyone wants
one! A Century/Aristocrat bottle sat in a flared cone, which sat on a wide
short cylinder. A metal overcap, decorated with lots of pressed lines and
curves like the base, was held in place by two metal rods. These rods clipped
into the base, were bent outward then inward mirroring the shape of the
lamp with its wider center, were screwed to two posts one on either side
of the cap, and formed an arched "handle" over the top. 1970s versions
had a false, decorative "cap" on the top of the base near where the rods
clipped in, made to imitate a fill cap for kerosene. All metal parts were
finished in a gleaming copper. A wonderfully designed lamp with an Olde
World oil lamp look!
It
is unclear as to the exact style of this lamp. Some say the Lava-Simplex
lamp was polished brass finish, while the UK-made Crestworth style Astro
Lantern was the copper style. Copper lamps of the Astro Lantern type are
shown in Lava-Simplex catalogs, yet no evidence yet supports that they
were made this way in the US. Crestworth lamps' bail (metal rods and handle)
were threee pieces: Two sides and top. Top could fold aside like handle,
as posts on cap had threaded ends, to which sides and top were held by
small screw-on bolts - lamp COULD be carried by handle. Metal rods were
affixed into base. Lava-Simplex lamp had single rod, held in posts on cap
by two thumbscrews. It was NOT sturdy enough to support the lamp. Metal
rods clipped into holes in base.
Carlisle
A
simple, elegant style; the lamp most likely seen "on grandma's TV set".
An Enchantress bottle/cap sat in a brass base shaped like a simple cone,
following the bottle's form, widest at its base. The cone was decorated
with "starlight" holes.
Known
variations: These may or may not be original; One with a "Day-Glo" orange
base and cap, and one with a polished chrome base and cap.
Saturna
Again,
an Enchantress bottle/cap, this time on a short, wide-waisted cone-on-cone
base, reversing the usual shape with a narrow center. The brass base was
made to look like a stylized flying saucer, and sat on a Century-type black
plastic tray with three "feet".
Aladdins
Lamp
Another
marvel of design and another "I want one" lamp! The Enchantress bottle/cap
set in an Aladdin's Lamp type base. The base sits on a short inverted "bowl",
and has jet-black pointed spout at one side and curled "wrought iron" handle
at the other.
Continental
A
1970s Executive style. Looking from above, its cross-section is an oval.
The base and top are made from brushed steel. The top and bottom ends have
black plastic plates set in them. Facing the lamp's wider side, the edges
of the metal that cover the upper and lower ends of the bottle are cut
on a shallow diagonal, forming a narrow view of the bottle. Had a slight
tendency to tip over.
Mystique
A
companion to the Continental, this Executive style lamp had only two differences:
From above, its cross section was square; and the edges of the metal were
straight horizontal all the way around, with a taller bottle view. Again,
tended to be slightly unstable, especially with age and use.
Astro
Lava Lite
Another
model with the Consort bottle/cap. Its base, a smooth brushed chrome cylinder
set on a very short, wide round pedestal in the same finish, was very space-age.
Two posts screwed into the side, one about 4" above the other, extended
about 1/4". Attached was a thin brass "band" that circled the base 2 1/2
times in a spiral, which advertising called "three shiny brass astral bands".
The lamp's cap was also brass.
All
models of 1970s Lava Lite available in:
Orange/
Yellow
Red/
Clear
Green/
Blue.
Enchantress
Vase and Enchantress Planter also available in:
Lime/
Green
for
additions and questions, contact Jonas Goo