Handel Style Lamp
Q: I have a lamp with a glass shade that was my grandmother’s. I’m guessing it would have been purchased around 1920. There are no markings on it anywhere. It is 22 inches tall and the shade is 16 inches in diameter. There are two light bulb sockets and chain pulls. Can you tell me anything about it and what it might be worth?
A: Lamps with mushroom-shaped painted glass shades were popular from about 1900 to 1930. Handel, Pairpoint and Tiffany were the most famous makers of art glass lamp shades. Most of their shades were marked or signed. Pull chains on Handel lamps have acorn-shaped ends. The shade on your lamp is similar to some made by Handel. Many other companies made painted glass shades, but without a mark it’s not possible to identify the maker. Value is determined by the maker, design and condition of the shade. Lamps made by Handel or other well-known makers often sell for a few thousand dollars. Lamps with unmarked painted glass shades sell for $100 and up, some for as much as $500.
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It may be marked inside the base. I have a brass lamp with a reverse painted shade that belonged to my grandparents. I knew an appraiser who appraised it for me. We had to take it apart to find the marking. Mine turned out to be made by the Pittsburg Lamp, Brass and Glass Co. Though not as valuable as the coveted Handel Lamps, it still appraised nicely.