Edward F. Caldwell & Co. Six Arm Black and Gold Chandelier with Eagle Motif. Gilt Bronze Mounted Eagles with Black and Gold Design 22 W x 27 H. This piece is not marked, however we have identified two models from the Edward F Caldwell designs in the collection of the Smithsonian digital archive. Caldwell repeated designs throughout the companies history and despite only 1/3 of the archives having been digitized it is evident by identifying two close designs that this is in fact made by the E F Caldwell company. Below is some additional information on the archive that was released in 2009 and is still in the process of being digitized to this day. One day in the future it is not unlikely that this particular chandelier will be found in the records. It likely,would’ve had a tassle hanging below which we do not have. It is in remarkable shape and we hope for it to find a room to brighten bringing with it it’s historical significance.

Caldwell & Co. was America’s premier producer of lighting and other metal objects during the turn of the 20th century through the 1940s, and the archives are currently stored in the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Library in New York City. Notable clients of Caldwell lighting fixtures included the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, and the Roosevelts, and the company was also commissioned for famous landmarks such as the Grand Central Terminal, Radio City Music Hall, and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Caldwell & Co. manufactured unique and intricate lighting fixtures in their Manhattan factory, such as chandeliers, electrified lamps and wall sconces, which were then shipped to prominent residences all over the United States.

The digitization of the Caldwell & Co. archives will bring unprecedented access of this vast collection to viewers around the world. Prior to this project, researchers faced great challenges accessing the collection, due to the fragility of physical archives, their location in New York City, and the difficulty of searching through unidentified pieces in the collection. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries anticipates this visual resource to aid a diverse population, including historians, restorers, antique dealers, appraisers, collectors, and designers.

27 x 22 in