Handel Aquarium Lamp

One of the Rarest and Most Celebrated of All Handel Lamp Designs

The Handel Aquarium Lamp is widely recognized as the one of the rarest and most elaborate design produced by the Handel Company of Meriden, Connecticut. Among the most important contributions to the Art Nouveau aquatic genre, the Aquarium lamp transforms its shade into a mesmerizing underwater illusion, a feat of decorative artistry unmatched in the world of antique American lighting.

The shade underwent an arduous, multi-step decorating process involving multiple kiln firings. The exterior was first coated with a fish glue that, when subjected to extreme kiln heat, produced the distinctive frosted "chipped ice" texture. The interior was then painted in layers: first the aquatic vegetation of sea grasses, fronds, and kelp; then a school of stylized swimming fish with textured, sandy enamel bodies added in a second firing; and finally a sea green glaze applied for background depth. The result is extraordinary, when illuminated, one experiences the murky, luminous sensation of peering into the depths of a living aquarium. The layered paint and glaze technique creates a dimensional quality that no photograph can fully capture.

The shade sits on the highly desirable figural mermaid base, a sculptural cast metal form depicting a mermaid that perfectly complements the underwater theme of the shade above. The pairing of the Aquarium shade with the mermaid base creates one of the most cohesive and sought-after combinations in all of antique American lighting.