Beardslee Chandelier Manufacturing Company. 52 Original Drawings
Chicago: Beardslee Chandelier Manufacturing Company, 1930. No Binding. Very Good. Item #4317
[Chicago, 1930s] A remarkable archive of 52 original designs for light fixtures, executed in watercolor, ink, and graphite on heavy card stock. Most sheets measure approximately 20 × 13 inches, with one large folding drawing included. Each design bears the distinctive Beardslee blindstamp. Some sheets show minor surface smudging and light edge wear consistent with age and use. The Beardslee Chandelier Manufacturing Company, based in Chicago, Illinois, was a leading producer of high-quality gas and electric light fixtures in the early 20th century. The company originated as the W.S. Edwards Manufacturing Co., but in 1901, under the leadership of George Murray Beardslee (b. 1868), it was renamed and expanded its operations. Beardslee, who had joined the firm in 1890, served as both treasurer and vice president. [Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society, HistoryWiki] One of Beardslee's key designers was Anton Dvorak (b. 1888), a graduate of both the Chicago Institute of Art and the Lewis Institute of Chicago. Dvorak began his career at the Chicago Gas and Electric Fixture Co. (1904-1914) before joining Beardslee, where he eventually became vice president. Between 1921 and 1930, he filed six patents with the U.S. Patent Office, contributing significant innovations in lighting design. [Encyclopedia of Bohemian and Czech-American Biography, Vol. 1, Miloslav Rechigl Jr.*] Beardslee specialized in stylish yet affordable lighting fixtures for banks, churches, retail stores, and offices. By the mid-1920s, the firm had earned a national reputation, described as "one of the largest and best known lighting equipment [companies] in the Midwest." [Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, September 30, 1925*] This collection reflects the elegance and precision of Art Deco design. Each drawing is meticulously labeled with a model number and scale, and many include notes specifying their intended installation locations-such as "2nd hall," "men's room," "civic room," "safe deposit," "main stairs," "main lounge," and "parlour." The set may have been commissioned for a major architectural project, possibly the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City.
Price (CAD): $9,500.00