Handel lamps were made in Connecticut

#Middlebury #Antiques

The first Tiffany lamps with dome-shaped stained-glass shades were made in 1895. They became very popular and very expensive. Other lamp and glass companies adapted the idea and made less expensive reverse-painted glass shades, colored glass and metal-trimmed shades, and copies of the originals. None are as expensive as the originals today, but some are considered important and sell for thousands of dollars.

This table lamp with a bronze base and painted glass shade was made by Handel in the early 1900s. The shade is 18 inches in diameter, and the lamp is 25 inches high. Price, over $5,000.

Philip Julius Handel made lamps in Meriden, Connecticut, from 1893 to 1933, and his reverse-painted shade lamps are now selling for up to $8,000. Almost all of his lamps are signed on the inside of the shade and on the metal lamp base. Price is determined by the design on the shade and the shape of the bronze base. A recent Morphy Auctions of Pennsylvania sold a signed Handel “Elephantine Island” table lamp with a bronze base held by three winged griffins. The shade is a painting of the ancient Egyptian ruins on Elephantine, a small island on the Nile. The lamp sold for $5,248.

Q: My wife was a collector of mustache cups and she accumulated about 50 of them before she died. I’m not sure what to do with them and would like to know if they have any value.

A: Mustache cups were popular from 1850 to 1900 when large, flowing mustaches were popular. A mustache cup had a ledge of china or silver that kept the hair out of the liquid in the cup and kept the mustache wax from melting. Mustache cups have sold at auctions in the past year for about $30 to over $100. Left-handed mustache cups are rare and have sold for over $400, but have been reproduced. You can consign your collection to an auction house or contact an antiques store in your area to see what they will offer you for them.

Q: I’d like some information about the maker of a bronze statue of a fox marked “Chemin.” The letter “N” is backward. Does this increase the value?

A: Your bronze fox was made by French sculptor Joseph Victor Chemin (1825-1901). He was known for his animal sculptures. The backward “N” is part of his mark. It isn’t a mistake and does not add value. An 8-inch-long bronze animal by Chemin was estimated at $300 in a Midwest auction.

Current Prices
Photography, carte de viste, amputees, Civil War veterans, trumpet, American flag, S. Roden, $85.
Sewing machine, new home, quarter sawn, oak, cabinet, hinged top, 30 1/2 inches, $120.
Salad serving set, Les Six Fleurs, sterling silver, fork, spoon, 9 3/4 inches, $190.
Sampler, alphabet, potted plants, animals, filigree, French text, Elizabeth Tibat, 1723, 18-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches, $240.

TIP: Ultrasonic cleaners are best for gold jewelry without stones. They should not be used with porous gems, including coral, lapis, pearls or any dyed stones.

For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com.

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