Wright Butler Duplex oil lamp, help

Have several questions with this lamp. The rounded blue area feels heavy, and I don't know what it's made of? I would think it is brass (like the rest of the lamp) with an enamel painted surface, but it just feels different there & heavy. I can't find any others shaped like this in my searches. I also don't understand the blue area. It looks like perhaps the blue part was made that way, but then maybe someone else added the other painted parts?
Age?
It's about 12" high with burner in.
Thanks for your time.

 

I doubt the font holder is enameled brass on this Wright & Butler duplex burner lamp. I have seen glass and ceramic ones by them. The company was founded in 1866 in Birminghan, England. c1913 they were taken over by Veritas but their tradename continued. The duplex burner was first patented c1865 in Birmingham by Hinks. Duplex burners and central draft burners were kind of competitors. The duplex burner was more popular in England and the central draft burner in the states. If I had to guess, I would date this lamp 1880s. Do wait for glass & ceramic folks to give their opinion on the material.

Here are 2 of their ceramic lamps.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/282232709674?clk_rvr_id=1118327898322&rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F5282-53468-19255-0%2F1%3Ficep_ff3%3D2%26pub%3D5574735181%26toolid%3D10001%26campid%3D5336086427%26icep_item%3D282232709674%26ipn%3Dpsmain%26icep_vectorid%3D229543%26kwid%3D902099%26mtid%3D824%26kw%3Dlg%26srcrot%3D5282-53468-19255-0%26rvr_id%3D1118327898322&ul_noapp=true

http://www.historicnewengland.org/c...s/collection-object/capobject?gusn=GUSN-20086

--- Susan

 

Susan you are so wonderful, thanks so much for the help. I was hoping you would stop by!
The blue area is so odd to me. It doesn't feel like glass, ceramic or brass, when I tap on it, but for the life of me I couldn't tell what it does feel like. It feels very smooth to the touch on the surface but not cold like glass.
Thanks again Susan very kind of you.

 

You're welcome, tye.

I need to point out that I'm not as familiar with European lamps, lamp manufacturers and burners as with American manufactured oil lamps. In my above reply I gave a timeframe of c1880s. The timeframe could possibly stretch from 1880 to turn of the century.

Also I said a Wright & Butler duplex burner lamp. My initial thought was that manufacturers made their lamps to fix their duplex burners like central draft lamp manufacturers made their own burners to fit their lamps. This was an error on my part. Duplex burners fit any oil lamp. Because the burner is by Wright & Butler doesn't necessary mean the lamp was made by W. & B.; however, as W. & B. did manufactured both lamps and burners, chances are very very good the lamp is by W & B. Sorry, I should have checked my info before posting.

--- Susan

 

Thanks again Susan, that is much appreciated and very helpful.