Arizona Biltmore Chrome-Plated Adjustable Sconces from 1929 Rare

The chrome-plated adjustable sconce from the Arizona Biltmore were manufactured by the Bryant Lighting Company in 1929.

There is a strong possibility that these lamps were designed specifically for the hotel by either Warren McArthuror his older brother Albert Chase McArthur as adjustable lighting for the hotel.

Shortly after graduating from Cornell in 1908 with a degree in mechanical engineering Warren began. working with his father, Warren Sr. designing blighting.

In 1912, McArthur received a patent for the short-globe lamp, which he sold to the Dietz Lantern Company for $2,000.00.

"The "D-Lite" style of lantern was first produced as the "Nu-Style" lantern by C. T. Ham in 1912, the same year Dietz introduced the "D-Lite." Both lanterns utilized the "Short-Globe" lantern patents of Warren McArthur and his son Warren McArthur Jr., and featured a top-lift telescoping chimney, making them the most expensive hand lanterns produced for general use in their day. The most notable feature of the McArthur design is the easy to clean globe, which has the largest apertures amongst the hand lanterns. In 1914, the same year Dietz bought the C.T. Ham Mfg. Co., Dietz introduced a less expensive "Short Globe" lantern, the "No. 2 Wizard" with a standard side lift similar to the Dietz Blizzard. By 1919 the similar models were merged, resulting in the modern "No. 2 D-Lite." (Note that the first generation "Top-Lift" D-Lite model was not marked "No. 2"). The first variation of the Dietz D-Lite, (Top-Lift style,) was made from 1912 to 1919, and is easy to identify as the globe hinges to expose the burner rather than lifting.""

warren designed lamps from 1911 to 1914 for a lantern company that his father headed up sales for; had various jobs and lots of support from his father to design and produce patents (he produced 10 patented lamp designs)

From the Wright Archive accompanied with a photo of a pair of similar lamps:

Date: 1929
Title: Arizona Biltmore Hotel Adjustable Chrome Light Fixtures.

Description: This pair of lamps were installed on either side of the bathroom mirrors. The bulb holder rides up and down on the pole and a cast wing nut hold it in place. A cord from the wall to the bottom of the socket supplied the power. They were possible designed by Wright or Albert Chase McArthur, the architect of record. This pair was purchased at an auction in the mid 1970s at the Arizona Biltmore. Includes two chrome light fixtures, a spare bulb holder that slides up and down, and two switch plate covers. The back of the plate cover and the light bulb sleeve that slides into the fixture is stamped "Bryant, Made is the U.S.A." Possibly manufactured by the Bryant Lighting Co.

Size: 28.5" tall

Warren II, to save money furnishing his father's Phoenix vacation home, created tubular metal furniture here in 1924, two years before Mart Stam and Marcel Breuer and Mies began experimenting with it in 1926.

The sconces has been professionally refitted with a new socket, rewired and is ready to be hard wired into place.