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Wilkinson Company

Wilkinson Company Lamps and Lighting

The Wilkinson Company was founded by Elmer E. Wilkinson circa 1907 in Brooklyn, New York and is known for producing both high quality leaded glass shades and metal bases. The company’s production was relatively short and filed bankruptcy circa 1915.

Tiffany, Louis Comfort & Favrile Glass & More

Louis Comfort Tiffany

Louis Comfort Tiffany, born in New York City on February 18, 1848, was one of America’s foremost leaders of the Art Nouveau Movement. Tiffany opened his glassworks in 1885 on Long Island, New York producing a wide range of outstanding designs for lamps, windows and decorative objects. As a leading developer of new forms of art glass, L. C. Tiffany is most noted for his Favrile glass produced from 1892 into [...] Click here to continue reading.

Collection of Carl & Joyce Mueller, Tallmadge, Ohio

The Lifetime Collection of Carl & Joyce Mueller, Tallmadge, Ohio

“For over one half century, we have collected – lived with – and enjoyed antiques”.

Carl spent over fifty years in the commercial radiator business started by his father in 1920. Joyce is a retired elementary public school teacher. Our first collecting passion was for Edwardian era antique automobiles and mechanical music (music boxes, automaton, orchestrion, etc.) Shortly after our marriage in [...] Click here to continue reading.

Nakashima, George – American Designer

George Nakashima (1905-1990)

George Nakashima was born in Spokane, Washington in 1905, the son of Japanese immigrants. His educational pursuits began in the 1920′s at the University of Washington, and from there he studied in Paris at the Ecole Americaine des Beaux Arts and ultimately graduated from MIT with an MA in Architecture in 1930. He also learned traditional woodworking in Japan and India.

In 1931, when Nakashima began his professional life as [...] Click here to continue reading.

Stickley, Gustav – American Arts & Crafts designer – New York

Gustav Stickley (1858-1942)

Gustav Stickley is credited with creating the first distinctly American style of furniture known as Craftsman. He was born on March 9, 1858 in Osceola, Wisconsin to German immigrant parents. As the eldest of six children he went to work as a stonemason at the age of twelve when his father deserted the family in 1870. In 1875, Gustav (originally spelled with an “e”), Charles, and Albert Stickley learned basic furniture [...] Click here to continue reading.

Bakelite

Scandal & the Story of Bakelite Bakelite hit the market in 1907, heralding the arrival of the modern plastics industry. Bakelite was the first completely man made plastic, as until then, plastics such as celluloid, casein, and Gutta-Percha all had as a base a natural material. It was developed by Belgian-born chemist Dr. Leo Hendrick Baekeland who started his firm General Bakelite Company to produce the phenolic resin type plastic. Bakelite was inexpensive [...] Click here to continue reading.

Collection of Dr. James & Susan Widder, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Lifetime Collection of Dr. James & Susan Widder, Cincinnati, Ohio

For some, antiques are not just objects to buy, sell, and collect, but instead they are truly a way of life. For nearly ï¬ve decades, such as been the case with Jim and Susan Widder. They met at The Ohio State University when Jim was a graduate student (and Susan’s lab instructor), and when Jim completed his doctoral work, the couple settled in [...] Click here to continue reading.

Nelson, George – Designer – Herman Miller Co.

George Nelson (1908-1986)

George Nelson trained as an architect before joining the Herman Miller (furniture) Co. and becoming its design director for the 1950′s and 60′s. From this position Nelson became one of the most influential modernist designer’s in mid-century America.

Among Nelson’s furniture designs to have become 20th century design classics are the “Marshmellow” sofa (1956), the Ball Clock (1949), the “Slat Bench”, the “Sling Sofa” (1960′s), his “Bubble” and “Cigar” lamps (1952) [...] Click here to continue reading.

Galle, Emile – French Glassmaker

Emile Galle (1846-1904)

Frenchman Emile Galle was one of the Continent’s most innovative leaders of the Art Nouveau Movement. His glass studio, established in 1874 at Nancy, revived the ancient form of art cameo engraving in multiple layers of glass. Galle is also noted for signing virtually all of his work, inspiring other, previously anonymous glass artisans to sign their work as well. The Galle studio closed in 1936. His influence continued through the [...] Click here to continue reading.

Zoar, Ohio – Society of Separatists

Zoar

In 1817 a group of German Religious dissenters purchased 5,500 acres in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and founded a communal society, known as The Society of Separatists. In the town they named Zoar they successfully maintained a nearly self-sustaining community for three generations until 1898 when the remaining Society goods were sold at auction. In addition to agriculture, the Zoarites operated many industries, including textiles, iron foundries, furniture and pottery makers. Today Zoar furniture [...] Click here to continue reading.

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