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impressive repurposed american custom-built table or desk lamp comprised largely of lightly embossed rain or "dew drop" pattern luxfer prism tiles. the rectangular-shaped lantern contains a single interior paddle socket (in-line switch optional) used to illuminate the patterned tiles fabricated by the either the luxfer tile company, chicago, il., and/or the american 3-way prism tile company, philadelphia, pa. the "saw-tooth" prisms are facing inward. the tiles date to 1900-30. the tiles were likely fabricated by the luxfer prism tile co., chicago. prismatic glass, which was a highly successful building material in the united states between the turn of the century and the 1920's, promised to refract daylight from the facades deep into a building and thus would help to save energy, create healthier working environments, and contribute to the development of a new modern architecture. the luxfer prism companies were the inventors and most prominent producers of this material. luxfer contributed to the contemporary architectural debate by promoting the small-scale pattern of its glass installations as a competing vision of architectural modernity to that of the emerging aesthetic of steel and glass facades. the luxfer tile company dates back to 1881, when james g. pennycuick, a british-born inventor living in boston, massachusetts, receives a usa patent for “a new and useful improvement in tiles for illuminating purposes in pavements, vault-covers, and in other situations.” his new glass tile design features a pattern of light-refracting prismatic ridges to direct sunlight into dark areas. in 1885 pennycuick expands his prismatic tile idea to include 10-centimenter-square tiles that can be joined together to form windows; he receives another patent. the same year, he receives a patent for another invention: a method of creating screw threads in glass insulators used on power poles. pennycuick has difficulty finding investors to finance manufacturing of his prism tiles, but after four years, he secures financing to purchase a glassworks factory in sandwich, massachusetts, to make his glass insulators. in 1889 pennycuick founds the electrical glass corporation and the following year begins manufacturing glass insulators at his newly acquired factory. however, the business fails in less than a year, and lenders foreclose on the factory—but other manufacturers adopt pennycuick’s design. in 1895 pennycuick moves to toronto, canada, and enters into a partnership with thomas w. horn, a canadian businessman. in february 1896, horn founds the prismatic glass company of toronto to produce pennycuick’s tiles. however, the method of bonding tiles together into windows proves problematic; using soldered lead or zinc strips, standard glazing materials at the time, produces heavy windows prone to joint leakage. a major breakthrough occurs when pennycuick meets william winslow, an american inventor from chicago, illinois. winslow has invented an electro-glazing process using thin copper strips and an electrolytic bath; his new method bonds pennycuick’s tiles into strong, rigid window panels that are both leak-proof and lightweight. in chicago a year later, pennycuick and horn found the radiating light company with winslow as a shareholder. winslow introduces pennycuick and horn to a number of prominent chicago businessmen and investors who buy shares in the new company, including john meiggs ewen, a leading building engineer. ewen becomes the chief shareholder and first president of the company, which is renamed the semi-prism glass company in december 1896. in march of 1897, the new company undergoes yet another—and propitious—name change, becoming the luxfer prism company. the name “luxfer” appears for the first time in legal documents related to the name change; early luxfer advertisements explain that the name is a combination of two latin words: “lux” (light) and “ferre” (to carry or bear)—so “luxfer” means “light bearer.” the well-financed new company opens its first factory in chicago and begins producing prismatic tiles that quickly become known as “luxfers.” the company invests heavily in marketing and promotion, advertising in building and architectural publications throughout north america and coining the term “daylighting” to describe the use of luxfer prisms. the product is immediately successful, receiving accolades from numerous architectural journals, such as the prestigious inland architect magazine, in which this statement appears in 1897: “to characterize this new prism as one of the most remarkable improvements of the century in its bearing on practical architecture, is to speak but mildly. in the opinion of some of the foremost architects of this country, the luxfer prism is destined to work an entire revolution in planning and necessitate very extensive changes in construction.” later in 1897, luxfer hires an aspiring young architect named frank lloyd wright to design decorative patterns for tiles (one of which, his flower” pattern, is now a popular “collectors’ item). wright also designs a 10-story skyscraper with a façade composed almost entirely of luxfer prisms. (although the structure was never built, wright’s drawings of it are considered by some historians to be important precursors of modern architectural design.) luxfer also hires two prominent experts on the behavior of light, physics professor and spectroscopist henry crew of northwestern university (chicago) and his assistant, olin h. basquin, to help optimize tile performance. basquin conducts unprecedented experiments to measure sky brightness at various times and uses the results to calculate the best angles for luxfer prisms to maximize interior light in various locations. by the early 20th century millions of luxfer glass tiles are produced in north america and europe, and the company’s product line expands to include a large selection of pavement lights (installed in sidewalks), floor lights and cellar lights; dome lights and skylights; and decorative and ornamental tile designs. early in the new century, luxfer begins producing metal casements for windows—its first metal products and a harbinger of the future. in 1926 the american luxfer prism company merges with a competitor, the american 3-way prism company, to form the american 3-way luxfer prism company. by the 1930's demand for prism tiles declines as the use of electric lighting spreads and load-bearing, hollow glass blocks provide a less-expensive way of “daylighting.” in england, luxfer begins manufacturing ready-glazed windows and adding new metal products, including sheet-steel shelving, cabinets and office furniture, to its product line. by the end of the decade, metal products comprise the majority of the british business, and the other glass product businesses in north america and europe have ceased production. the four-legged, uniquely-shaped "craddle" base is comprised of solid walnut wood. the mortised frame consists of thin strips of quartered oak wood salvaged from the chicago athletic association building. the lamp fixture has been wired with braided brown cloth lamp cord. measures approximately 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 11 inches.
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fully functional original repurposed amercian made "dew drop" prism glass tile custom-built table or desk lamp
SKU:
UR-24748-16
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