Bronze Philip

Handel Lamp History

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Philip Julius Handel first established the Handel Company in Meriden, Connecticut in 1876. They specialized in top quality reverse painted lamp shades and were generally considered a lower priced alternative to the Tiffany lamp popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany. They also made leaded glass shades similar to Tiffany together with vases, humidor boxes as well as other decorative objects. Typically the most popular lamps of the Art Nouveau 1890-1920 and also the Art Deco period 1920-1939 were Tiffany, Handel, Pairpoint and Duffner & Kimberly.
Philip Handel (age 19) and Adolph Eydam (age 21) formed a partnership in 1885 and created the “Eydam and Handel Company” in Meriden, Connecticut dedicated glass decorating and lamp manufacturing. They used lamp bases off their suppliers not their very own lamp bases. In 1892 the partnership ended plus the company later chosen larger facilities in Ny in 1893 and was known as “Philip J. Handel” and later as “Handel and Company”. In 1902 they opened their own foundry and began producing their own lamp bases. The Handel Company was incorporated on June 11, 1903 and Philip J. Handel, Albert Parlow, and Antone Teich were the principals. In 1906, Philip J. Handel married Fannie Hirschfield Handel his second wife. She took over as the company’s president upon Philip Handel’s death in 1914. In 1918 she remarried and 1919 William F. Handel, Philip’s cousin took charge of the organization.
Following The first world war would have been a duration of tremendous growth. The economy was roaring along with the company had assembled a really impressive and talented group of artists and craftsmen. However, the truly great Depression drastically changed their fortunes and by 1929 the organization was struggling. The organization ceased production completely in 1936. The Handel Lamp Company was the finest maker of reverse-painted lamps. Handel also made some leaded glass lamps. The corporation can be a prime instance of fine American quality craftsmanship.
Handel bases were in most cases made from a zinc alloy, spelter using a bronze patina or finish. Some were made from genuine bronze. The marking was commonly the business name on the bottom from the base. The markings contained raised letters and/or a label. Sometimes the marking would be underneath the base or sometimes over the the base. Lamp shades were marked on metal components and/or on the glass itself. Many of the glass pieces are signed by the artists.
Many of the medium to larger Handel lamp bases were wired with multiple sockets which were operated by pull chains which in fact had small , and various shaped pull balls about the ends of the chain.
It’s got long been perhaps the most common practice to complement slag glass lamp shades, Tiffany type shades as well as others to varied lamp bases that had been not the original. Another common practice has become to set an unsigned shade using a signed Handel lamp base and pass the whole lamp off like a “Handel”. Many otherwise most lamps and shades are referred to as Handel lamps due to the fact the style is similar to that surrounding an authentic Handel lamp. Experts today report that about 90% of most lamps called Handel were not actually made by Handel. There are several lamps which can be signed but who are not authentic. Identification of Handel leaded lamps is usually a subjective process that people are qualified to do.
Given you can actually history it usually is difficult to prove the negative: i.e. a particular lamp isn’t a Handel. But as usual, money speaks and you’ll see that a Handel lamp and shade with correct markings, attributes and documentation commands an incredibly premium price as compared with any lamp which is “attributed to Handel”.
For instance, some of Handel’s smaller than average and simple desk and easy piano lamps have recently sold between $500. Usually the more complex ones sell for over $2,000. There are several rare ones which have sold for upwards of $80,000.
Some Handel glass artists are legitimate and their works bring reduced price. Their signatures can be viewed on some Handel lamp shades. Among these Handel artists are Bailey, Bedigie, Broggi, Gubisch, Matzow, Palme, and Parlow and Runge.

Marie Philip Poulin Beauce Bronze Hockey 2006