Any information about The Majestic Lamp Co. from the 50's?

Question

I have a really cool Majestic "Z" Lamp and I can't find any information on the company that created these neat lamps. All I know is that it was around the 1950's and maybe from New York. Any more information about the company, who started it, when did it go away, and any information about the lamps?

Answer 1

WOW! This is so unbelievable! I recently had a very in-depth discussion with a friend of mine regarding the whole Majestic company, and how they adjusted through the years.
We discussed how different inventions in America's history effected the Majestic's product line in the early 30's all the way to the late 50's.

Also, as a side note, on one my televised rounds of Jeopardy, Alex Trebeck asked a question regarding The Majestic Lamp and Radio Company. The answer was almost nominal in points, but it was awarded based on the difficulty of the question.

The Majestic Lamp Company was formed out of two other companies, the Grisby-Grunow Company of New York City, and The Majestic Radio Company of Elgin, Illinois. Part of this merger entailed Grisby to sale his sole ownership of Columbia records to Sony, the first Japanese company to market in America after the war. Sony still owns the Columbia label today. According to the United States goverments desire to control monopolies, no individual could own a manufacturing company of phonograph player , and produce or record the disc which it played.

Also, at the same time of teh merger, Mr. Grunow sold out his 50% stake in the Grisby-Grunow Company to the infamous Mayor of New York James Walker. James Walker was President of The Majestic Lamp and Radio Company until 1948. After the change in laws, RCA & the transistor radio nearly put Majestic Lamp & Radio our of business.

With intern president William "Sloppy" Garwood at the helm, The Majestic Lamp and Radio Company was reduced to making only their profitable lamps, and by the early 1950's was known only as The Majestic Lamp Company.

These beautiful lamps were were manufactured sold and marketed under the Majestic Lamp company name until 1963 when the company was sold to Westinghouse.

Clifford Westinghouse made the lamps much more cheaply, with the thought that if he could get a Majestic Westinghouse Lamp into every house of America, then he would make millions on the replacement light bulbs.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Majestic Lamp

Answer 3

It seems nobody knows much about this company. These websites are all I could find. A couple of them are actually dealers in these kinds of lamps, so it should give you an idea what your lamp might cost. The second link below has pictures of a lamp similar to yours. It is towards the bottom. The third link is a complete website devoted to 1950's lamps. They are looking for any information about The Majestic Lamp Co. Maybe you can look here from time to time and maybe could find info from them. Good luck.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/galleries/2006/1119/lamps?pg=10
http://www.tvlamps.net/table_lamps.html
http://www.gomod.com/gallery/gallery1.htm
http://www.atomicwarehouse.com/merchandise.cfm?categoryid=5

Addition - I am happy someone was able to answer her question correctly. I know I tried, but I know my answer is certainly not the best. Good job Mark! I gave you a thumbs up.

Answer 4

Good Job, Mark, You are exactly right. I done a thesis on the Majestic Company during my sophomore year of college. Also, Mr Sloppy Garwood was one of the first Americans to come out of the closet regarding his sexual preference, and in his later years spent his life savings promoting the first gay movement marches.