Might be a reptile terrarium heater, at 400W (and no dimmers available in the 50s !) it'd be suspended quite high, way higher than where the Turtwigs can reach to it. Safe as long as you dont touch it (at 400W you won't be able to even hold a hand near it anyway....)

I think the rope might be some glass or asbestos rope to hold the heater coil together if it EOLs ? (so it won't unwind and short against the cage). It seems torn in the middle tho

Hi Ash, the coil does seem to be missing in a section... This lamp is actually designed for "health lamp"/heat lamp fixtures! Not something that would be done anymore!

Those heaters had a wire guard that would be considered completely inadequate now (and the 4 few decades at least) as you cold not only get your fingers but also your hand to the element. Definitely not something to have around children. They do give a cosy glow though.

Yeah well this was from a time when people was clever enough to realise inserting your fingers wasn't a good idea lol

I think the bigger hazard here has to be the 2 metal support legs that hold the 'lamp' to the lamp base. Given they are the only connection between the cap and heater, it would be reasonable to assume one of these acts as live, the other as neutral. Not something you'd want to touch, as outside of the area the guard protects.