Historical information

The arc lamp provided one of the first commercial uses for electricity, a phenomenon previously confined to experiment, the telegraph, and entertainment. Ref. Wikipedia.

Significance

An old item and very rare.
Owned by a local resident's grandfather who lived in Melbourne.

Physical description

Brass base with handle at front. Horizontal round bakelite handles for adjusting the arc between the electrodes (vertical carbon pencil shapes meeting at point and opposite each other. It has adjustments for direction and height. It is heavy.
Unknown source of power - battery?

Inscriptions & markings

Nil