Hi!  I decided to put 75W bulbs in what would normally be 60W table lamps. 75W is just bright enough for what I need to see.  The question being, would 75W be okay?  I recently put a new Cooper socket in one lamp, and it says it's rated for 250W. The other lamp has not been touched, and has original 1970's Leviton socket which also claims 250W.
They are brass sockets, with a cardboard insulator, and Bakelite sockets (plastic for the modem one).

Should this be OK?  Everyone elsewhere on the internet all say "FIRE fire fire!" without even giving a professional answer. There is a slight smell of "burning dust" though from the lampshades.


Thanks!

PS: I've always used 60's and obeyed the max wattage in other fixtures, I just had an epiphany and realized I could get better light with a 75W.  

I wouldn't think it would be a problem for the socket, the lampshade would be the part in question. If it is only on when you're in the room, then it's probably okay since you'd notice any problems. If it is left on a lot, you could use the 53=75 halogen bulbs since they produce less heat.

With some materials the problem does not have to be apparent immediately, the higher heat could only cause a degradation, so it e.g. turn yellow/brown after a few years of use.

Sometimes the maximum allowed power is dictated only by the outer surface temperature reaching the code limit. So with higher power bulb, the thing could violate the code by exceeding the maximum safe temperature, but all the materials could handle it still well.

And the socket robustness would depend on the ventilation there. If it is not really base-up, it would be OK

It depends to a great extent on the lantern design and quality. While some lanterns can handle big incandescents without issue, i found others which yellow and melt even with a lamp of lower wattage than rated... Pictures of the lantern in question will let us see what to answer

The usual problems i found were with plastic (and baskelite if too close to the lamp) parts of the lanterns melting or cracking, and, in many lanterns including ones rated for big lamps, after a couple years the isolation on wiring behind the lamp socket crumbles, shorting or tracking to the lantern body etc (even in ones with glass sleeves the plastic under the glass still melts, and the conductive burned plastic can cause it to flash over or track anyway)

Here's photos of the lamp, guys.  There's plenty of air ventilation, that's why I assumed it would be fine, but wasn't sure about the other components.

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd513/SeberHusky/Electrical/DSC02151_zps2dd476f6.jpg

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd513/SeberHusky/Electrical/DSC02152_zpseb648dce.jpg

The shade won't have a problem even with 100w and more, as long as :

 - There are no plastic parts or coatings on parts near the lamp

 - The lantern is not tipped over. If it is, hot air from the lamp will rise into the shade and heat a spot (possibly well into ignition) instead of going through the open top

 - There is no wiring that can be damaged under the socket - high temp wires used, glass sleeves, no conductors in the closest area to te socket etc

I have a few lamps very similar to that one and most of them use a 50/100/150 3-way bulb in them the others just have a 75 or 100 watt bulb in them (which ever I had handy at the time). The shades are still in good shape even after daily use for about ten years. From the picture your socket looks a 3-way one.

I have a few lamps very similar to that one and most of them use a 50/100/150 3-way bulb in them the others just have a 75 or 100 watt bulb in them (which ever I had handy at the time). The shades are still in good shape even after daily use for about ten years. From the picture your socket looks a 3-way one.

You know what?  I think it is. I remember when I put a new socket in this lamp (the old socket had a hole burned through the metal contact in the middle of the socket), I got a 3-way socket without realizing it, thinking I was getting a one way one.

These lanterns usually suffice with only a ceramic socket to reach 200W lamp rating (the maximum lamp wattage still with E27, what was available here)...
So I won't expect any problems - the lamp is base down, so the socket would run way cooler, while they are usually rated for "universal". So a 60W rated "universal position" socket should hole with ease the 75W lamp base down...