For those of you that prefer your household shopping to come with a touch of noir ...

For those of you that prefer your household shopping to come with a side of noir, here’s a ca. 1945(?) illustrated brochure from the Lightolier Company of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Now, I could tell you the company was founded in 1904 as the New York Gas and Appliance Company. Or that it pivoted to becoming a specialty decorative light fixture manufacturer and importer as electric lighting became more commonplace in American homes, which led to the adoption of the name Lightolier (a contraction of light and chandelier).

Or you can just go learn about it from her. This item is Pam 2000.357 in the Hagley Library’s collection of pamphlets and trade catalogs. You can view the item in full by visiting this page in our Digital Archives.