Philip Handel, born in Meriden, Connecticut, was a contemporary of Louis Comfort Tiffany and a major competitor in the area of ornamental glass lamps. The glass shades for the Handel Lamp Company were bought as blanks from several manufacturers, decorated by sand blasting, coated with fish glue, and fired in a kiln. Once the glue cooled and dried, fragments of the surface were lifted, leaving a frosted, textured effect. Artists created designs for the shades and decorated hand-painted them. The artist’s signature or initials and the company name Handel were also added. This shade, decorated by Gustav Leohner, was known as the Sunset Palm Tree.
Signed on inside of shade:"Handel 6322 G.L.". Paper Handel label on bottom of base
Gift of George A. Warthen II and Harry J. Warthen III in memory of their parents, Dr. and Mrs. Harry J. Warthen, Jr.
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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