Featured Bisque porcelain lamp body - dancing ladies - how to clean?

Found this in an otherwise unremarkable brass lamp (brass-ish base, this lamp body, brass cap on top - then lamp socket on top. The wiring looked perhaps 1950's to me - I've already tossed it(the wiring) before taking pics - (oops).

The porcelain body is what caught my eye and made me spend 5 bucks on it. It has some fairly well done relief work of some dancing ladies... and is inscribed/impressed "BAVARIA GERMANY" on the top rim (which was covered with a brass cap when it was in the lamp.) If anything I wanted a piece with which I could test different ways of cleaning bisque porcelain. It has a variety of different smudges, general gunk, and dirt all over it.(The pics somehow make it appear cleaner than it really is.) Not sure I'll ever find a maker as there were/are many Bavarian porcelain factories.

Not under the impression this is worth anything - but it is nicely done - and I would maybe want to re-lamp it in the future if I can clean it well without damaging it.

Any advice on how I should go about cleaning it (bisque porcelain)? I've seen online to start with some plain water with a little mild detergent and a soft cloth. I'm planning on trying that first...

8.5 inches tall - and about 4.5 inches in diameter at the widest point.

Thanks for having a look and for any advice!

 

Soap and water, try an eraser on the marks first, I don't think much can harm hard paste porcelain; it's pretty inert stuff.

 

Hi,
I use Scrubbing Bubbles. It is a spray made for cleaning the bathroom. I spray it on let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse, Sometimes it takes a couple of sprays but if a mark or two is left I hit it with a Magic Eraser.
greg

 

Magic Eraser works really well. A little bit, damp, rubbed gently. Then give it a good wash with dishwashing liquid.

 

Thanks all - will grab a magic eraser today and have a go!

 

Hi,
I first used Scrubbing Bubbles on a few items. They were the Irish girls with the net skirts and dresses. They were in a home with long term smokers. I tried soaking them in soapy water for a while. The tobacco smell and yellowing just would not come clean. Once the foam hit them they became nice and bright clean. I would not use this on any pottery with painting on top of the glaze.
greg

 

Cleaned up nice with the magic eraser and a quick bath in some warm water with mild dish detergent.





I also found a pair of these for sale online(in Malaysia!) - on what I think are the original lamp fittings - much better than the crappy lamp I found this one on:

https://id.carousell.com/p/parian-w...473928&t-referrer_request_id=ilVLKai1_eHjr4Fb

 

If you had kept the lamp it would have been worth around $500 upwards depending on the condition and if you had kept the lamp and pedestal. We have the exact same lamp that my husband's parents bought in Germany in 1954 and keep it clean with a toothbrush and a mild dish soap. Works pretty well.