Spring is here—and so are the tulips! I've always loved the "rubbery squeak" of tulip stems being arranged in a vase (always best with a fairly narrow neck). And a tulip's lovely cup-form blossom is unlike any other flower in the garden.
The American Arts & Crafts candlesticks, shown above, were made by Meriden in Connecticut around 1910. The candle cups and stems are inspired by tulips. And their hand-hammered texturing—which was subsequently silver-plated—gives a soft sheen to the metallic surface.
Meriden, Connecticut—about 20 miles north of New Haven—enjoyed tremendous prosperity during the Industrial Revolution in the second half of the Nineteenth Century. As the Nineteenth Century became the Twentieth Century, metalworks became the predominant industry of the city, which became known as "Silver City" due to Meriden's volume of silver-plate manufacturing. The Meriden Silver Plate Company (who made the candlesticks shown here) was one of the city's leading companies. The Meriden Britannia Company and the International Silver Company were two other nearby companies.
Click on the photo above to learn more about them.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248