Important Notice

Brass, glass
18 in (45.7 cm) high
Fitted for electricity
Design No. 8734
Pat, August 15, 1916


"Scientists and physicians say that brilliant and glaring lights are most irritating and tiring to the eyes. They rack the nerves and ruffle one's disposition. They have determined after conclusive tests that the light most restful to the eyes is green. Look at nature, the Dame had her pick of colors and chose green as the predominant tone in her make-up."

Thus opens the 1909 catalogue of H. G. McFaddin & Co., the American company that created the famous Emeralite lamps. Harrison D. McFaddin, the brainchild behind the lamps, applied for a patent in 1909 for "a new, original and ornamental design for lamp shades" (Bruce Bleier, Emeralite: The Lamps of H. G. McFaddin & Co., "emeralite.com"). The iconic Emeralite lamps born out of this patent were perhaps a common sight in the early 20th century, when their popularity warranted a place on the corner of a desk, or atop a piano. They were affectionately termed 'The Banker's Lamp', and were highly coveted for their elegant design and stunning craftsmanship. The original Emeralites were created for only fifty years before the company was dissolved in 1962. Rivals and imitators turned to their innovative design to market their own lamps, and a large number of banker's lamps found today are mimicries of the original Emeralite.

The present lot belongs to the 8734 series. They were produced between 1916 and the early 1930s, after the first batch of Emeralites were discontinued. This new line popularised the Emeralites and differed from its predecessors in design. The brass bases, and the green shades that encased a white opal glass remained. The shades were clamped to the armature and could be easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

The green glass shades used for the Emeralite lamps were produced by a Czech company, J. Schreiber & Neffen, or S&N as they were called by McFaddin. Though they produced glassware for a number of customers, their contract with H. G. McFaddin & Co. permitted them to produce those unique green shades only for the Emeralite lamps. When production was at its peak, an entire half of the S&N factory was dedicated to manufacture shades for McFaddin.

Of the original Emeralite lamps, only a fraction survives today. What was once a household product is now rare, making these lamps highly coveted collector's items. All original Emeralites bear the maker's mark on the armature: a cartouche displaying the patent date, model type, series number, and the company name with the location. The Emeralite desk lamp on auction carries the date of patenting: August 15, 1916, as seen in this model.

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