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RIPLEY LAMPS
Daniel C. Ripley established his glass company in 1866. He and his son Daniel C. Ripley Jr. produced a variety of glassware for several years. Geo. Duncan became a partner in 1867 and became sole owner in 1874. Daniel C. Ripley Jr. established a new company soon after.This company merged with other companies to become the United States Glass Company in 1891. D. C. Ripley Jr. became president of this new glass combine.
The company was best known for their patented lamps. On January 7th, 1868 Ripley received a patent for a hand lamp having two handles. The purpose of the two handles was so that a lamp could be handed from one person to another easily. I have three examples of the two handled Ripley Lamps. Each has patent dates embossed on the underside of the base. One has the Jan 7th 1868 date. Another has three dates: Jan 7th, July 14th, and Aug 11th. The third also has the patent date of Sept. 20, 1870. Ripley also produced stem lamp called the Ripley Hollow Stem Lamp. The stem was hollow and contained an artificial flower and twig. This was held in the stem by a piece of cork with the patent dates 1881 and 1882 on a paper cover. I have one Hollow Stem Lamp without the flower and cork and one with. They are two different heights: 8 1/2" and 10 3/4".
The finger lamps are listed at $75 each. The Hollow Stem Lamps are $80 each.