Parker Lamps and Clocks

[Dean Romig]

Those are some very nice examples of household products produced by the Charles Parker Co. Those of us who attended the re-dedication of the Parker family gravesite with the newly mounted and restored headstones a year ago were treated to a vast collection of products manufactured in Meriden. Among all of these treasures were some of the finest examples of Parker products we have ever seen in one place. The owner of the Wilbur Parker house and his wife were extremely gracious and accommodating in allowing us to wander through the rooms of their collection.

It would be very nice to be able to publish an article on the products of the Charles Parker Co. along with a lot of nice pictures. Maybe we could do it in segments, like one in each quarter for a year or so. Anyone (or group of collectors) willing to make a go of it?

And of course, thanks to Bruce and the curator of the pieces pictured here for allowing us to see them.

[edgarspencer]

I strongly suspect, because of the close proximity, and financial connections, that the lamps were actually manufactured in the Bradley & Hubbard factory under the Parker name, rather than at the Parker factory. All features of the lamps shown are identical to Bradley & Hubbard lamps. B&H also made their lamps for others, and named as such. Parker did not have a non-ferrous foundry but B&H was expert at that type of casting work (brass, bronze and copper. They were just getting into aluminum, for making their match plate patterns, when they closed). Miller lamps are arguably the finest lamps lamps to come out of Meriden, but when Miller's foundry burned down, they used the B&H foundry, and a few of their molders went over there until the Miller foundry was back up and running. Miller slag and cut glass lamps rival those of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
To what extent the clocks are actually 'Parker' is also a question, with regard to the actual place they were made. A clock/gun friend insists their 'small' clocks are Sessions, which was located in Bristol, CT.