1. The finish is closer to black than bronze. 

2. Before putting it together, clean the parts that screw together as there is a LOT of shop dirt that can make it hard to get the threads to work.

3. Brush on a little WD-40 onto the joins to make it go a little smoother.

That being said, it assembles quickly but is top-heavy even with the heavy base. The rings that screw on to hold the glass are plastic and might melt. The tubing is lightweight. It's good for what I need it for, but I'm not overly impressed and will replace with a better quality lamp later. For now, I can read in the living room, so that's good.