Editorial

Situated in the heart of Birmingham’s renowned Jewelry Quarter, less than one hundred yards from the old Lucas factory on King Street where many early British lamps were manufactured, Genius of the Lamp offers a bespoke lamp restoration service. Catering to clients from “the motor-trader round the corner” to the “seasoned vintage car collector,” the firm takes real pride in resurrecting Brass Era lighting equipment that might, at first, appear to have perished with the passing of time.

Kam Lawla and long time friend Joe Vella started working together in the silver-smith's trade making bespoke jewelry, working with precious metals and learning the art of fine-detailed metal craft that they now use to great effect on motoring lamps that arrive for restoration. Since starting they have not stopped. Indeed four years ago the friends were joined by Kam's brothers Raj and Suraj in order to keep up with the demand for their skills in this niche market. The combination of craftsmanship and a canny business sense is hard to find but reassuring to experience and the four of them exude a very friendly and welcoming attitude at their workshop.

Using traditional techniques, their reputation as leaders in the restoration of vintage headlamps is getting them noticed by some serious collectors and aficionados like John Shirley who contacted the company when he wanted his 2008 Pebble Beach Best of Show Alfa Romeo 8C2900's lights restored.

The restoration process is as old as the lighting industry itself, and the methods used are actually quite simple. It’s the meticulous approach and patience of these craftsmen that bring items back from the dead. As with many things, preparation is the key to a successful lamp restoration. To ensure a flawless finish, dull and lifeless pieces are first completely disassembled and the old plate or paint is stripped chemically from the bodies, rims and reflectors, which are then repaired. Holes are filled in and weak patches are built up and strengthened. If new metal parts are required, they are formed over a planishing stake using rawhide or hardwood planishing hammers. On the rare occasion that a lamp is deemed to be beyond repair, it can be reproduced. Whole lamp bodies can be made by spinning new metal on a lathe while it is annealed, or gently heated and cooled, to form the required shape and size.

Once the lamp parts are restored or remade, it’s time for the shiny stuff to be applied. To the uneducated, the alchemy that occurs beneath the surface in the various tanks of slightly whiffy, slightly bubbling liquids is almost magical. Meaningless bits of dull brass are first copper plated and then either nickeled or chromed as appropriate. The various plating processes add strength to what are often rather thin and fragile pieces. This magic takes place quickly—just 20 minutes to an hour pass from beginning to end—and the result is truly eye opening. Once buffed and polished, the many different parts of a lamp are reassembled and the lamp is as good as new—never better because these craftsmen are keen to maintain the authenticity of their work.

The history of lamps and lighting is something that these craftsmen know well, and they will often advise an owner who is sourcing replacement lighting units as to what lamps are best for a particular car or era. It’s a fascinating subject that can make or break a restoration.

We take headlights for granted these days, of course, but the early pioneers of motoring did not. As with the 1892 Henriod that was shown at Pebble Beach in 2007, early motorcars relied on candle power to illuminate their journey. From there it was a short step forward to oil lamps and then calcium carbide / acetylene gas lights. Famed French aviator Louis Blériot was also an avid inventor, and he created the calcium carbide “no-glare” car lamp. He also successfully manufactured other automobile accessories, including foot warmers for car passengers and luminous license plates. His fame spread when he became the first pilot to fly across the English Channel. He did this in daylight though—what a missed opportunity to show off his invention!