Baby Gills
My online vintage lighting store.
I just listed a pair of petite late 1930s ceiling fixtures by Gill Glass & Fixture Company.
The company was located on Amber Street in Philadelphia, and occupied most of the block between East Tioga and East Venango Streets. The factory backed up against rail lines, as was common, and there would have almost certainly been a rail spur leading directly to Gill loading docks. The Gill buildings are extant, although they look a lot less attractive than they did as pictured, proudly, in Gill catalogs. The immediate area around the factory was all housing (and still is), and it can be assumed that many of these homeowners worked for Gill – an easy commute. Today, of course, not much is made in America. Sigh.
Then.
Now.
The fixtures I listed are not identical. This one has a “Pearluster” shade.
And this one has a “Nugold” shade. The fixtures (at 6-1/2-inches wide) are scaled for a small foyer, small hall, or closet.
The shades offer lovely flowers and leaves in high relief, typical of the fine work of Gill Glass.
When lighted, the Nugold shade is magical, as it becomes iridescent.
My online vintage lighting store.
3 Comments
Leave a Reply Cancel Reply
Your email address will NEVER be made public or shared, and you may use a screen name if you wish.
Those are some classy light fixtures!
I too enjoy the drawings/photographs of factories that were so common in old catalogs and brochures. It’s also amusing to note that they are generally drawn with plumes of black smoke emanating from their chimneys; a sign of productive operation!
Wow! Love both! 🙂
Very pretty, I like the Nugold shade. Sad change to the factory buildings. If only we could go back in time, at least for a little while.