Bradley & Hubbard started in the mid 1850s in Meriden, Connecticut and in the late 19th/early 20th century produced some of the world's finest metal wares. They seldom worked in bronze but their work is consistently mistaken for bronze, even my knowledgeable dealers.They made a very wide range of decorative desk sets and other items, however it is their desk lamps for which they are known. The discovery of oil in Pennsylvania in 1859 and subsequent advances made during the 1860's in drilling and refinement processes had led the way to a new and lucrative industry. Between 1867 and 1871 a fifty percent increase in the production of petroleum caused whale oil to be replaced for heating and illumination. In order to facilitate the burning of kerosene in lamps and stoves, modifications to the mechanical devices involved in combustion were needed. From 1868 to 1875, Bradley and Hubbard began a period of great innovation, expansion and prosperity with the award of thirty-three patents for lamp and chandelier designs and this lamp represents the zenith of their production. B&H products are always excellent examples of their genres and consistently command higher prices than those of their closest competitors (like Chase, Jennings Bros, Connecticut Foundry, LV Aronson, etc.). Further, their values are escalating significantly faster than comparable pieces. There is an extensive collection of Bradley & Hubbard pieces at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. Circa 1895. Size: 25" H x 25.5" W x 11"D.

Antique Lamps and Lighting
Antique Table & Desk Lamps