1920s Caldwell Hand Painted Sconces

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.