It’s rare when you have the chance to purchase objects from an individual’s lifelong collection. The depth of knowledge and network of this important collector/expert can’t be duplicated. We had the opportunity to see these lamps first-hand and acquire some of the best examples. So we closed shop for almost a week and drove half-way across the country. This is one of more rare and ornate early train car lamps from this collection. Few of these luxury class Victorian RR lamps still exist. Any remaining examples have found their way into museums some time ago. This was the type and quality of centre lighting used in private luxury Pullman cars of that era. They were also part of the elaborate personal train cars built for The Rockefeller’s and Vanderbilt’s. Here is a beautiful signed original double chandelier still retaining its original milk glass shades. It was carefully wired to take a standard bulb. We mounted the lamp to a 24 inch diameter finished wood disk. This lamp is signed Hicks and Smith, NY 1871. This is a nice piece of railroad history.
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