Duffner & Kimberly Sconce, ca. 1910
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GUEST:
I have this light that I purchased from a friend of a friend. She just happened to have some items that she wanted to sell, and it was very pretty and very unique, and for the right price, I bought it.
APPRAISER:
You remember what you paid for it?
GUEST:
$175.
APPRAISER:
And how long ago did you buy it?
GUEST:
I'm going to estimate maybe four years ago.
APPRAISER:
Someone made an attachment here, and they sort of hung it from a ceiling?
GUEST:
The lady that I purchased it from claimed that it was in her grandma's house, and that somebody just turned it into a ceiling lamp versus the wall hanging.
APPRAISER:
Even though this is not marked-- I know you had said you didn't find a mark, and I looked and I couldn't find any mark-- but I'm absolutely sure this is a Duffner & Kimberly lamp, or a sconce, rather.
GUEST:
Duffner & Kimberly?
APPRAISER:
They were in New York, two men, Duffner and Kimberly. Duffner worked with Bradley and Hubbard and others. Very talented pair. They opened up in New York in 1905 and then I think produced their first lamp in 1906. Now, they were contemporaries of Louis Comfort Tiffany. They saw themselves as competitors with Tiffany, and they made the highest quality stuff they could possibly do, and that's evident in these shades and then also the metalwork for the sconce. Now, this is a wisteria shade, which is one of the most highly sought after designs, and I think most of the major lamp makers made shades with wisteria design, and as everybody can see, they're just drop-dead gorgeous. This, to me, is one of the prettiest sconces I've ever seen.
GUEST:
Thank you!
APPRAISER:
So, Duffner and Kimberly got into a little financial trouble, and they were only open from 1905 to 1911. They declared bankruptcy in 1911. Any idea what it might be worth?
GUEST:
No, sir, I... I really don't. I said if it's worth $1,000, I'll be excited.
APPRAISER:
Okay, I would think that a fair retail price on this would be between $8,000 and $12,000.
GUEST:
Holy mackerel.
APPRAISER:
And I would have it reworked so it goes back to a sconce. You could certainly hang it and enjoy it in your home.
GUEST:
That is awesome news!
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