Tag Archives: History

History of the Acoustic Guitar

Posted by on February 15, 2012 No comments

Did you know that when you picked up your acoustic guitar, you’re picking up an instrument with 5.000 years of history attached to it? Acoustic guitars are descendants of stringed instruments that were found in a variety of cultures thousands and thousands of years ago. As civilizations merged and the world became smaller, the guitar began taking on a unified shape and style. Since then, there has been a lineal evolution of several hundreds of years of instruments that can be directly compared to today’s acoustic guitars.

The Medieval Period

Acoustic Guitar

During the Medieval Period of European history, there were several different forms of guitars. These guitars had between three and five strings and were much smaller than the guitars we know today. There were variations of theseinstruments which had pairs of strings, known as courses. The popular guitars of this period were commonly separated into two groupings. The first, The Guitarra Latina was likely developed from Spain, while the Guitarra Morisca was brought to Spain by the Moorish culture.

The Renaissance and Beyond

While in the Middle Ages, the guitar instruments were not terribly popular, being overshadowed by other contemporary instruments, in the Renaissance the guitar began to take a real hold. It was in Italy in 1779 that the first six string guitar was created. Gaetano Vinaccia created this instrument in Naples. Following that, the man known as the “Father of Modern Guitar” made his permanent mark on the course of the guitar and how it would be designed and played.

Antonio deTorres Jurado made many key changes that in essence from the creation of what is known today as the modern classical guitar. Among these changes were the design elements that are recognizable as an acoustic or classical guitar today. The body was made larger and wider to help make sound travel farther and be louder, while the construction was also sturdier, more complete and more technically savvy.

The Acoustic Guitar

The instrument that Antonio de Torres created and made popular was the Classical guitar. The acoustic guitar is commonly misinterpreted as being the same as the Classical guitar. This is not true, there are many key differences in the design of these two separate guitars. The most important of which is that the acoustic guitar has steel strings, while theClassical guitar is strung with nylon strings.

The body was also made larger and sturdier still. The acoustic guitar was much better for performing in larger areas as it was increasingly louder than the Classical guitar; the two guitars also produces different ranges of sounds and textures which various styles of music correspond to.

The acoustic guitar was actually developed in America from European immigrants. The last major development of the acoustic guitar is the electrical-acoustic guitar. These acoustic guitars can be plugged into an amplifier for increased volume or can be left unplugged and played as is.

So next time you pick up an acoustic guitar, remember the history you hold in your hands.

History of the Acoustic Guitar

Handel Lamp History

Posted by on February 11, 2012 No comments

Philip Julius Handel first established the Handel Company in Meriden, Connecticut in 1876. They specialized in high quality reverse painted lamp shades and were generally considered a less expensive alternative to the Tiffany lamp popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany. They also made leaded glass shades similar to Tiffany as well as vases, humidor boxes and other decorative objects. The most popular lamps of the Art Nouveau 1890-1920 and the Art Deco period 1920-1939 were Tiffany, Handel, Pairpoint and Duffner & Kimberly.

Philip Handel (age 19) and Adolph Eydam (age 21) formed a partnership in 1885 and created the “Eydam and Handel Company” in Meriden, Connecticut specializing in glass decorating and lamp manufacturing. They used lamp bases from other suppliers nottheir own lamp bases. In 1892 the partnership ended and the company later moved to larger facilities in New York city in 1893 and was known as “Philip j. Handel” and later as “Handel and Company”. In 1902 they opened their own foundry and began producing their own lamp bases. The Handel Company was incorporated on June 11, 1903 and Philip j. Handel, Albert Parlow, and Antone Teich were the principals. In 1906, Philip j. Handel married Fannie Hirschfield Handel, his second wife. She became the company’s president upon Philip Handel’s death in 1914. She remarried In 1918 and in 1919 William f. Handel, Philip’s cousin took control of the company.

Following World War I was a period of tremendous growth. The economy was roaring and the company had assembled a very impressive and talentedgroup of artists and craftsmen. However, the Great Depression drastically changed the company’s fortunes and by 1929 the company was struggling. The company ceased production completely in 1936. The Handel Lamp Company was the very finest maker of reverse-painted lamps. Handel also leaded glass lamps made some. The company is a prime example of fine quality American craftsmanship.

Handel bases were most commonly made of a zinc alloy, with a bronze spelter patina or finish. Some were made of genuine bronze. The marking was commonly the company name on the bottom of the base. The markings consisted of raised letters and/or a label. Sometimes the marking would be underneath the base or sometimes on top of the base. Lamp shades were marked on metal components and/or on the glassitself. Some of the glass pieces are signed by the artists.

Many of the medium to larger Handel lamp bases were wired with multiple sockets which were operated by pull chains that had small and various shaped pull balls on the ends of the chain.

Tiffany Lamp Reviews

It has long been common practice to match slag glass lamp shades, Tiffany type shades and others to various lamp bases that were not the original. Another common practice has been to place an unsigned shade on a signed Handel lamp base and pass the entire lamp off as “Handel”. Many if not most lamps and shades are referred to as Handel lamps simply because the style is similar to that of an original Handel lamp. Experts today suggest that about 90% of all lamps called Handel were not actually made by Handel. There are many lampsthat are signed but that are not authentic. Identification of Handel leaded lamps is a subjective process that few people are qualified to do.

Given the company’s history it may be difficult to prove the negative: i.e. that a particular lamp is NOT a Handel. But as usual, money speaks and you will find that a Handel lamp and shade with correct markings, attributes and documentation commands a very premium price as compared to any lamp that is “attributed to Handel”.

For instance, some of Handel’s small and simple desk and simple floor lamps have recently sold for around $ 500. Generally the more complex ones sell for over $ 2,000. There are some rare ones that have sold for over $ 80,000.

Handel Lamp History