Many basic questions confronting antique lamp buyers, from "Where do I look for a manufacturer's signature?" to "How do I distinguish reproductions from originals?" are answered here. Using color photographs and catalogue illustrations, a wealth of information is presented including buying or selling old lighting, restoration issues like rewiring, practical uses for fixtures originally made for gas or oil, and restoring and protecting metal finishes.
The first of two new volumes, this book contains material from authentic catalogs of the 1920s, which depict styles of authentic residential (ceiling, sconces, lamps), commercial, and outdoor lighting that illuminated America during the Depression era. Companies represented include Gill Glass and Fixture Company, Gillinder and Sons Inc., Meletio Electrical Supply Co., and Halcolite Company, Inc. The styles shown span the eras from the daring Art Deco to the classics. 8.5 x 11. 2001 values.
It was an explosion that reverberated across the country—and into the very heart of early-twentieth-century America. On the morning of October 1, 1910, the walls of the Los Angeles Times Building buckled as a thunderous detonation sent men, machinery, and mortar rocketing into the night air. When at last the wreckage had been sifted and the hospital triage units consulted, twenty-one people were declared dead and dozens more injured. But as it turned out, this was just a prelude to the devastation that was to come. In American Lightning, acclaimed author Howard Blum masterfully evokes the incredible circumstances that led to the original “crime of the century”—and an aftermath more dramatic than even the crime itself. With smoke still wafting up from the charred ruins, the city’s mayor reacts with undisguised excitement when he learns of the arrival, only that morning, of America’s greatest detective, William J. Burns, a former Secret Service man who has been likened to Sherlock Holmes. Surely Burns, already world famous for cracking unsolvable crimes and for his elaborate disguises, can run the perpetrators to ground. Through the work of many months, snowbound stakeouts, and brilliant forensic sleuthing, the great investigator finally identifies the men he believes are responsible for so much destruction. Stunningly, Burns accuses the men—labor activists with an apparent grudge against the Los Angeles Times’s fiercely anti-union owner—of not just one heinous deed but of being part of a terror wave involving hundreds of bombings. While preparation is laid for America’s highest profile trial ever—and the forces of labor and capital wage hand-to-hand combat in the streets—two other notable figures are swept into the drama: industry-shaping filmmaker D.W. Griffith, who perceives in these events the possibility of great art and who will go on to alchemize his observations into the landmark film The Birth of a Nation; and crusading lawyer Clarence Darrow, committed to lend his eloquence to the defendants, though he will be driven to thoughts of suicide before events have fully played out. Simultaneously offering the absorbing reading experience of a can’t-put-it-down thriller and the perception-altering resonance of a story whose reverberations continue even today, American Lightning is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction.
Hundreds of gas, electric, ceiling, and art glass fixtures, and wall and table lamps from the early 1900s are featured in this reprint of selections from the R. Williamson & Company Lamp Catalog. In addition to revising the prices to reflect today's market, Joanne & Francis Thomas have included several pages deleted from the original catalog in our first reprint. A special color section in the book features gas and electric glassware, electric bowls, stalactites, and balls, globes, and candelabra shades and holders.2000 values. REVIEW: This book shows the diversities in products and presentation of pieces by the Fostoria Company, until it closed the factory in Moundsville in 1986. The authors have presented this complex period as simply as possible, providing original company catalog pages and detailed photographs.
This fascinating text presents what is probably the largest selection of antique lamps illustrated anywhere — 647 in all. Included are "Betty" lamps; petticoat and tumbler lamps; pierced tin lanterns; candle lanterns; more.
A revolution in lighting took place in the last part of the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth century. Nadja Maril explores the dramatic changes in lighting technology and form in this amply illustrated, informative volume. Using color photographs and rare catalog material, American Lighting concentrates on domestic lighting, making it an important work for home restorers and decorators seeking to capture an authentic look in their homes. The informative text and history of the American lighting industry makes it a welcome, valuable addition to the literature for historians, collectors, and others, interested in the development of American design and technology.
An unprecedented survey of modern lighting design foregrounding its materials, innovators, and far-reaching influence Offering the first comprehensive history of lighting design from the 20th and 21st centuries, Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting explores how lighting has been integral to the development of modern design both in terms of aesthetics and technological advances. This fascinating book outlines the key aspects of lighting as a unique and creative artistic discipline and examines themes such as different typologies, the quality of light, and the evolution of the bulb. A series of essays by Sarah Schleuning and Cindi Strauss showcase lighting designs from different time periods and geographic locations and feature the work of significant figures, including Poul Henningsen, Ingo Maurer, and Gino Sarfatti. With over 130 illustrations of functional and sometimes fantastical designs, a historical timeline, and comprehensive artist biographies, this handsome volume expands our understanding of an understudied but influential art form and demonstrates lighting’s central role as both an expression of and a catalyst for innovations in modern and contemporary design. Published in association with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Exhibition Schedule: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (February 21–May 16, 2021) High Museum of Art, Atlanta (July 2–September 26, 2021)
A sweeping history of the electric light revolution and the birth of modern America The late nineteenth century was a period of explosive technological creativity, but more than any other invention, Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb marked the arrival of modernity, transforming its inventor into a mythic figure and avatar of an era. In The Age of Edison, award-winning author and historian Ernest Freeberg weaves a narrative that reaches from Coney Island and Broadway to the tiniest towns of rural America, tracing the progress of electric light through the reactions of everyone who saw it and capturing the wonder Edison’s invention inspired. It is a quintessentially American story of ingenuity, ambition, and possibility in which the greater forces of progress and change are made by one of our most humble and ubiquitous objects.
Packed with incredible images and step-by-step techniques, this book is a must have for commercial, wedding, and portrait photographers working on location who want to maximize their time behind the camera and minimize their time spent hauling cumbersome lighting equipment. The tips show how to select easily portable and versatile equipment for location shoots, cutting down on the packing and porting of expensive equipment. With techniques and information on the latest technology—including battery-powered flashes and accessories—this reference shows photographers how to work with smaller and lighter-weight lighting equipment without sacrificing quality. Whether shooting portraits, landscapes, or interiors, whether indoors or out, photographers will embrace the portable approach offered in this valuable resource.
