Charles Parker Co. - swag glass lamp | ||
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Posted 14 years ago
dannaview
(1 item)
Lamp which has been in the family for many years. Know little about it, just today found the label on the felt on the base - "The Charles Parker Company." Some research yielded history of the company (very interesting!), but little found on particular lamp styles.
Would appreciate any information on how to do more research on Parker lamps.
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The Parker family, of Connecticut, is well known for the manufacture of shotguns as well as a variety of other metal products. What you have is called a slag glass lamp. Slag glass is a type of glass that is a pressed glass, opague with coloured streaks. The Parker Company is also known for the use of dichroic glass. The Parkers were related by marriage to the Bradleys, of Bradley and Hubbard, and they took over the B & H factory around 1940 and continued operating under the B & H name. The Parker Company manufactured both table, floor and hanging lamps and had approximately 260 lamp patents. I am a big fan of Parker lamps as I believe the quality is excellent. If at any time you need repairs made, please take the time to search for a repair shop that repairs your lamp with the proper replacement parts and not the local guy who knows nothing about vintage lighting. Quite often the parts you have can be rebuilt, so if you find a good shop, they can accomplish this. If not, I would make sure they gave you the original parts back and continued your search. The problems arise when the chains are released to quickly and snap up into place in the socket thus jamming the operation of that particular bulb. A way to avoid this is with an in-line switch. You have a beautiful lamp and the shade looks to be all original and in terrific shape. Hope this helps.
Horatio:
Thanks much! Since I posted the original info, I found out some of what you offered, but not all. I was particularly excited when I did the research, because my dad was (and I remain) a big Parker shotgun fan. My dad wasn't crazy about the lamp, not knowing its history. Had he known that it was connected to the shotguns he idolized, I suspect his opinion would have changed!
The lamp is in excellent shape, minus the cord to the plug. We have it placed in a room little used, so the lamp is not used frequently. If the cord became a problem, I'm experienced sufficiently with electrical work to replace it, my only concern being preserving the felt base in doing so. We do have a lamp "craftsman" nearby, so should I "chicken out" I do have a back-up plan.
I would like your opinion on the collectibility of the Parker lamps. I haven't done extensive searches, but haven't seen much in the way of valuations. One resource indicated that these lamps were made anywhere between the late 1890's and 1931, when they ceased the lamp operation. I would really enjoy finding out when this one was manufactured; I intend on continuing looking for more "clues."
Thanks again for your help.
Your father would have been very excited about the lamp, had he known about the family and that they were one in the same. Personally, Parker lamps are one of my favorite and very collectible. The felt on the bottom can be saved and replaced, if removed properly. You must let the lamp repair person know, should you go there, that you want the felt to be removed and resused. Don't assume they are on the same thought level as you. If you do it yourself, use the period cloth covered wiring. I am a lamp dealer and think this is a very good lamp to hand down. Parker did not make that many lamps, such as Miller, Pittsburg or Bradley and Hubbard, so I personally believe that you have a good investment. Should you need some more information, please email me: darker52843@mypacks.net and I will be more than happy to give you a value for insurance.
nice lamp