Edward F Caldwell Clock

Edward F. Caldwell & Co. was among America’s preeminent lighting manufacturers of the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries, illuminating the halls and ceilings of some of the most notable buildings in the United States. In addition to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the White House in Washington, D.C., the company’s masterful light fixtures also adorn the homes of some historically prominent figures, such as J.P. Morgan and Phillip Lehman.

The firm was founded in 1895 by American Edward F. Caldwell and Victor F. von Lossberg, a Latvia native who was raised in Russia. The founders became acquainted while working at Archer & Pancoast Manufacturing Company of New York, which produced gas lighting fixtures.

In 1901 Edward F. Caldwell & Co. opened a foundry, where the owners and the lighting artisans they recruited could explore a range of metalworking techniques and design styles. Caldwell and von Lossberg quickly rose to the top of the electric light manufacturing business with their shared vision, choosing to deliver quality elegant fixtures that frequently drew on historic European designs. The firm produced magnificent lighting pieces, as well as finely crafted decorative objects and mirrors. Their neoclassical designs borrowed heavily from Baroque and Rococo styles — Edward F. Caldwell & Co. also devised Art Deco fixtures during the 1920s — and favored bronze, silver, iron, copper and brass as their primary materials.

With construction on the rise in New York in the early 1900s, not many outfits could take on large-scale lighting contracts. With over 1,000 employees, Edward F. Caldwell & Co. could take on heavy commissions.

After Caldwell died in 1914, von Lossberg carried the company until he died in 1942. Edward F. Caldwell & Co. closed its doors owing to financial troubles in 1959.

Today manufacturer’s work can be seen all across New York City — including at the Bank of Manhattan and the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel — and Edward F. Caldwell & Co. creations are highly sought after by lighting and decor enthusiasts.

On 1stDibs, explore a selection of vintage Edward F. Caldwell & Co. table lamps, chandeliers and pendants, sconces and floor lamps.

Personal time-telling devices may have migrated from our pockets to our wrists and finally onto our phones, but despite the convenience of a handheld digital timekeeper, nothing can beat well-made vintage, new and antique mantel clocks.

Invented by clockmakers in France and popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, these practical yet ornate pieces were typically displayed on top of fireplaces or desks. While the most common mantel clocks were created in the traditional tambour style, which features a wide base that flares into an upright drum- or camelback-shaped case, modern clockmakers and furniture designers have experimented with their own ideas for these decorative objects over the years, introducing different forms and working with unconventional materials. A collection of whimsical, monochromatic handmade mantel clocks crafted by Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk, called Floating Frames, for example, features minimalist frames of anodized wire and ceramic clockfaces.

When shopping for an antique, vintage or new mantel clock, don’t be afraid to branch out. Wood mantel clocks of any era will bring a classic, elegant allure to the shelving in your living room or the bookcase in your bedroom, while Empire-style mantel clocks will comparatively boast eye-catching gilt bronze and pronounced sculptural attributes. Some Art Deco mantel clocks will feature an integration of marble or glass and will likely be marked by the decorative embellishments associated with that particular furniture style.

There’s just something about cool clocks, right? Spend your time with an extraordinary collection of mantel clocks on 1stDibs today.