A Rembrandt floor lamp is a lamp made by the Rembrandt Lighting
Company located in Chicago. Research failed to provide a starting
date for the company. When the Harris Marcus Group, a lamp
assembler, acquired the Rembrandt Light Company in the late 1970s
or early 1980s, it retained the Rembrandt trade name and continued
to produce a Rembrandt line of lamps. The Rembrandt Lighting
Company’s name was inspired by Rembrandt Peale. Rembrandt Peale
(1778-1860), famed as a painter and museum impresario, illuminated
his Baltimore museum by gas light. Peale obtained a gas lighting
patent and founded the Gas Light Company of Baltimore with the
support of several associates. There appears to be no direct
connection between Rembrandt Peale and the Rembrandt Lighting
Company. Several sources indicate that Rembrandt Lighting Company
first produced shades for gas lamps, thus the Rembrandt Peale
connection. By the end of World War I, the company manufactured a
wide variety of floor and table lamps. A torchier-style floor lamp
was a popular model. The company also produced table top lamps,
often in pairs. Following World War II, the company began using
acrylic in some designs. Rembrandt Lighting Company produced
high-quality, high-style lamps. Many of the floor models feature
marble bases or had marble incorporated into the base design. Art
Deco decorative elements were common in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Rembrandt floor lamps came in a wide variety of style. Assuming a
1920s/1930s floor lamp is in fine or better conditions, dealer
secondary market asking prices begin around $250 and exceed $1,000
on occasion. Buying Tip: Examine the shade carefully. Make certain
it is not a replacement.
