Reproduction of: Design records. Edward F. Caldwell Lighting Company records, 1900-1959; New York Public Library, New York, N.Y.
Design records from the Edward F. Caldwell Lighting Company records, 1900-1959; Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library; Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 Fifth Avenue, Third Floor, Room 328, New York, NY 10018.
Caldwell & Company collection; Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library, Cooper Hewitt Museum Archives; 2 East 91st Street, New York, N.Y. 10128.
Edward F. Caldwell and Victor F. von Lossberg founded Edward F. Caldwell & Company in 1894 in New York City. They became the most prominent manufacturers of custom lighting fixtures and metalwork in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Their success was due to their ability to incorporate popular and eclectic styles from French Neoclassical to Art Deco into their designs for electric lighting fixtures. Since they worked with the leading architects of the day, Caldwell lighting fixtures and decorative metalwork appeared in many major building projects, including the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Andrew Carnegie's mansion (now home to the Cooper Hewitt), and the 1902 renovation of the White House. For these projects, architectural plans would be brought in and drawings and occasionally models would be created. By the 1920s, Caldwell & Company had one of the largest foundries in New York City. They were one of the few American firms that mastered the techniques for applying enamel decorations to metalwork and were renowned for their casting and gilding of bronze. They produced fine metalwork objects such as tables, lamps, clocks, desk sets, fire screens, and statues. All items were custom made with few exceptions. Due to the Depression, the firm was forced to scale down their operation. The company was liquidated by the Internal Revenue Service in 1956, but reorganized and reemerged that same year as E.T. Caldwell Lighting Company. The Plastic Illuminating Company was a subsidiary of the Caldwell Lighting Company. The company eventually went out of business entirely in 1959.
Contents:
Reel 1. C007400-C012494, January 1900-October 1902 -- Reel 2. C012495-C016729, November 1902-September 1904 -- Reel 3. C016730-C017325, A000001-A004600, September 1904-August 1906 -- Reel 4. A004601-A009600, August 1906-June 1908 -- Reel 5. A009601-A014600, July 1908-February 1910 -- Reel 6. A014601-A019620, February 1910-October 1911 -- Reel 7. A019621-A024600, October 1911-May 1913 -- Reel 8. A024601-A929600, May 1913-December 1914 -- Reel 9. A029601-A034600, December 1914-February 1916 -- Reel 10. A034601-A039600, February 1916-April 1917 -- Reel 11. A039601-A044600, April 1917-June 1918 -- Reel 12. A044601-A049600, June 1918-May 1920 -- Reel 13. A049601-A054600, May 1920-January 1922 -- Reel 14. A054601-A059600, August 1923-April 1925 -- Reel 15. A059601-A064600, April 1925-November 1926 -- Reel 16. A064601-A069600, November 1916-May 1928 -- Reel 17. A069601-A074600, May 1928-October 1929 -- Reel 18. A074601-A079600, October 1929-January 1931 -- Reel 19. A079601-A084600, January 1931-January 1932 -- Reel 20. A084601-A089600, January 1932-June 1932 -- Reel 21. A089601-A094600, June 1932-March 1935 -- Reel 22. A094601-A100000, March 1935-December 1937 -- Reel 23. K000501-K005500, January 1938-May 1941
Summary:
Reproduced from the 23 original design records (account books) which form a part of the Edward F. Caldwell Lighting Company records, 1900-1959, held by the New York Public Library. The account books span from January 1900 to May 1941, listing, in chronological order, the account numbers and sometimes additional information (client, address, thumbnail sketch of fixture, etc.) for custom-ordered lighting fixtures and other fine metalwork objects. Some of the account numbers may have corresponding photographs and drawings from the Caldwell & Company collection, 1894-approximately 1944, at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library.
