A photograph of some beautiful, glowing perfume lamps, one of a French pierrot and another of a chivalrous knight, attracted so much attention on the Collector Network that the owner of the lamps was ignited into a conversation over her luminous collection.Joel Easton, the Southern California antique district Map Man, was so taken with the photo, he asked the owner, Sandra Goroff, perfume lamp collector and publicist to elaborate. ”Perfume lamps were no doubt created to enhance an otherwise less than perfect smelling space,” explained Goroff. “I think they were found most frequently in the bedroom, on a dressing table or vanity.” In the early 1800s, Justus Von Liebig and Charles Frederick Gerhardt initially developed the catalytic burner system that is the key component of the catalytic fragrance lamp. Liebig, a German Scientist made major contributions to agricultural and biological chemistry and was considered to be one of the greatest chemistry teachers of all time. Gerhardt was an equally famous chemist from France who was actually the original inventor of aspirin. Together, these two developed the catalytic burner system primarily as a tool to be used in hospitals and mortuaries. The catalytic burner system was successfully used to purify bacteria and other germs from the air and to kill bad odors in these settings. A Frenchman named Maurice Berger was the first to receive a patent on the technology in 1897 and the company he founded, Lampe Berger, is the largest manufacturer of the device though there are a growing number of companies making catalytic fragrance lamps. Goroff’s lamps seemed to have worked without a burner, using simply perfumed oil and the heat created by the light. ”If you lift off the top, there is a small circular tray on the bottom in which perfume was poured,” explained Goroff. “The heat from the light when turned on help spread the scent throughout the room. For me…that would have been far too potent.” Goroff’s lamps serve primarily as decoration. These perfume lamps first came about in the mid-1800s, but Goroff’s examples were made in the 1930s and ’40s. ”I find their variety so interesting and their style full of romance and charm,” she said. “In this grouping, my favorite is the middle perfume lamp which represents a knight on bended knee before his lady. Ah…if only modern men were so attentive.” According to Goroff, good perfume lamps and those made by well known glass or pottery companies can be very pricey. Goroff is no stranger to the world of antiques or their prices. In addition to collecting perfume lamps, she is the publicist for the best known reference book writer today, Judith Miller, and used to represent the Kovel’s. Miller recently completed two new books that will be published in October, “Chairs,” and “Twentieth Century Design.” The 336-page hardcover book, “Chairs,” celebrates and scrutinizes nearly 400 chairs ranging from early antiques such as the 1680 Wainscott Chair and the 1740 Louis XV Chaise Lounge to modern day collectible chairs, such as Marc Newson’s 1988 “Embryo,” and Tom Dixon’s 2007 “Wingback.” Her “20th Century Design” book is being released at the same time and will be 512 pages geared toward both beginning and established collectors. It will include more than 5,000 photographs and in-depth analysis that will help collectors get the inside track on which designs are the true classics and how to make the smartest purchases for the future. From the birth of modern design, through modernism, art deco, mid-century modern, and the post-modern and contemporary years, “20th Century” takes a close look all the most important design and collectible categories, including ceramics, glass, furniture, lamps and lighting, clocks, silver and metalware, sculpture, textiles, jewelry, domestic wares and posters. Miller is gearing up for a whirlwhind United States tour that will include San Francisco and Los Angeles. ’She will appear on the Martha Stewart Show on October 15th in connection with her “Chairs” book,” said Goroff. She will be in the Los Angeles area on October 26th and 27th.
Category Archives: Lighting
Cheap lamps, expensive bulbs
A double shade mid-century modern Majestic Lamp, $795, was what was left in the way of vintage lighting after Bret Woody of Woody’s Antiques sold his best lamp right at the start of the Art Deco & Modernism Show.It was a lamp that was sold by MGM in the 1970s,” he said. “It was from one of their movies in the 1930s.” Woody continued: “It was all stamped with original frame and shade. It was spectacular. We had never seen another one like.” He priced the lamp at $1,595. It was purchased right after the show opened and was heading to its new home in Salinas. Woody’s, which specializes in Heywood Wakefield and rattan furniture, is located at 169 North Glassell in Orange. Call (714) 744-8199 for more information. The Majestic Lamp Company was formed out of two other companies, the Grisby-Grunow Company of New York City, and The Majestic Radio Company of Elgin, Illinois. Part of this merger entailed Grisby to sale his sole ownership of Columbia records to Sony, the first Japanese company to market in America after the war. Sony still owns the Columbia label today. According to the United States governments desire to control monopolies, no individual could own a manufacturing company of phonograph player , and produce or record the disc which it played. Also, at the same time of the merger, Mr. Grunow sold out his 50% stake in the Grisby-Grunow Company to the infamous Mayor of New York James Walker. James Walker was President of The Majestic Lamp and Radio Company until 1948. After the change in laws, RCA & the transistor radio nearly put Majestic Lamp & Radio our of business. With intern president William “Sloppy” Garwood at the helm, The Majestic Lamp and Radio Company was reduced to making only their profitable lamps, and by the early 1950′s was known only as The Majestic Lamp Company. These beautiful lamps were were manufactured sold and marketed under the Majestic Lamp company name until 1963 when the company was sold to Westinghouse. Clifford Westinghouse made the lamps much more cheaply, with the thought that if he could get a Majestic Westinghouse Lamp into every house of America, then he would make millions on the replacement light bulbs.
Stylized sconces soar for "sacrificial" $7,500
Chuck Morganstern, a.ka. the Woodchuck, offered a striking pair of 1920s stylized Austrian aviation-themed bronze sconces at the sacrificial price of $7,500. The specialist in Art Deco sculptures explained that the former owner paid almost double that at a Sotheby’s Auction in the 1980s. This is the first cold-painted reaching female/male sconces he has seen like this is more than 30 years of being a dealer. Hidden in the swirling clouds is actually a stylized airplane making this a perfect addition to the collection of an aviation aficionado. For more information, call Morganstern at (415) 922-6416. His store is located at 3597 Sacramento Street in San Francisco.
Beiner's new hip do
The lighting diva, Michelle Beiner, now sports the cropped Elvira haircut. One day, neighbor Shauna Novotny, walked into East Colorado Antiques in Pasadena and saw Beiner’s spiky, jet black do and proclaimed “Elvira.” The Art Deco chandelier dealer got her hair all punked out about two months ago. She has had chic short hairstyles for years, but this is the wildest she can remember.
on the map
Randy Schoonover, known for saving up special items for important antique shows, brought a handblown glass globe lamp, $950, to Darryl premier 4th Sunday Antique Show in Torrance. Schoonover didn’t need the map to find his way to the show. He showed up promptly at 5:00 a.m., which was no problem for him because he owns a house right around the corner from the show.
Boses bangs a gong
Dennis Boses banged his massive gong at the December Art Deco to Modernism Show to symbolize the sale of his sixth and final 1929 lighting fixture that used to hang at the Wiltern Theater. He once had all six. He recently bought the Deco lamp back from a woman he had sold it to who lived at 58th and Park Avenue in New York City. ”I sold it to her 20 years ago,” said Boses, who happened to be in New York City when he received the phone call from the lamp’s former owner, Sheila. She announced it was time for the lamp to find a new home. Boses was more than happy to facilitate that transaction. It is not unusual for him to acquire the same amazing, showstopping antique several times when the owner moves, downsizes or undergoes another major life change. There is a story behind every item that Boses sells, but that is only one of the ways that he has turned himself into the most successful dealers in the biz. He has a Jay Leno-sized collection of antique cars. When asked what makes him most successful, he says it’s not his selling skills, although he does have a contagious enthusiasm, and a story for every item he sells. It’s not his incredible decision making ability. Although, he does often look at an item and within a split second calculate the price he can pay for it in order to ensure he can make a small profit. According to Boses, the number one thing that has made him a successful dealer is something that any dedicated dealer can duplicate with a little vision and elbow grease
Monterey at the Rose Bowl
Not all the Monterey furniture could be found at the Golden California Show in October. That same weekend, at the Rose Bowl, the owners of the Bungalow Store in San Diego purchased a Monterey lamp. They plan to add the lamp to their current selection of Monterey, which include an early classic green monk’s desk, and an early library lamp. The circa 1929 monk’s desk, crafted of Oregon alder wood, is priced at $6,000. The Bungalow Store is located at 2317 India Street in San Diego, (619) 234-7383.
spectacular lighting display
Marie Gauthier of Revival Antiques is so enthusiastic about the Golden California Show that she commissioned woodworker extraordinaire Ramon Ramirez to build her a complex lighting rack just for the show.With several cross beams and enough space for more than a dozen chandeliers and hanging sconces, the rack took Ramirez a day to build and an hour to put up. She had never gone to such great lengths for an antique show before.
