Posted 10 years ago
Arisellon
(86 items)
Here are some seriously grand, Machine Age candelabra in my collection! These candle holders, designed in 1933 by W.L. Morrison and manufactured by the Dole Valve Company of Chicago, were engineered to hold a U-shaped candle. Morrison also patented a U-shaped candle to go with them. In his patent for this candle holder, he states he invented it so the "entire candle may be utilized and burned." Given the hard times during the Great Depression, it sames like this would be a great way to conserve resources. I've never used them before to see how well it works.
These rare streamlined, candelabra are on stepped bases of black bakelite and chrome. They have been wrongly attributed to the famed industrial designer, Donald Deskey--the patent design above shows otherwise.
Apparently, they were also displayed at an exhibit called "High Styles" at the NYC Whitney Museum of American Art several years ago. They are also part of the Yale University art gallery as shown here:
http://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/candelabra-waxel-candles
In her book the "Collector's Guide to Art Deco," Judith Miller values these at $1500-$2000 a pair. I certainly hope they are worth that much! However, those sound more like 1st Dibs prices.
stunning!! you really have a great collection , I really do enjoy your stuff :)
Thank you....these are the efforts of years of collecting. I just collect what I like, but Art Deco is not everyone's taste. I'm always amazed how modern these items look, even by today's standards. :)
Wow!! I absolutely love the stuff you love! This stuff is very hard to find! Thank you for posting!
You truly do have an incredible collection. Congratulations.
I find Miller's guides generally a bit inflated in price guide which is always a disappointment!
These are so cool !! I'd love them !! Ive never seen bent candles before , it would be intresting to see them lit & how they burn when nearly done with both ends burning ;-) they really are stunning !!
Thanks guys...I love these too! I also agree with you, Racer, about the prices in the Millers' guides being over inflated. I often wonder how they calculate market value for items in their guides.
Wow, wow, wow! Love all in your post, beauty and information.
That's how a collector must be, sharing his treasures and knowledge.
Thank you for this, Arisellon. :-)
Great research on the patent - you just disappointed a lot of Deskey fans! They are stunning and I am happy to own a pair myself. They are very hard to find- quite rare in fact.
Regarding the Miller guides, they are a joke. I find more mistakes in them then any other book - simply not accurate information in them at all. 1st dibs is high but things do sell there. It's a good resource also but shouldn't be the only one if one is looking for information.
Thanks thnman...we cross paths a lot on different sites for our mutual love of Art Deco!
Yes we do!