Hi Jan,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
The spiky points and arched detailing of this chandelier are reminiscent of the Gothic Revival style, a movement that was fueled by a nostalgic admiration for the Middle Ages and often associated with chivalry, faith, and craftsmanship.

There were a number of craftsmen working in the Arts and Crafts movements that were also inspired by Gothic revival, including Samuel Yellin (1884-1940), a blacksmith and ironworker in the Philadelphia area in the early 20th Century. He was pretty good about signing his works so I don't think this was made by him but it's the sort of thing that was very popular in the first decades of the 20th Century.

There are no widely known records of ironworkers specifically at the Buehler Furniture Company, which was formally known as Gottlieb Buehler & Co., and which was established in the late 1890s by German immigrant Gottlieb Buehler in Allentown, PA. A skilled carpenter and cabinetmaker, Buehler immigrated to the United States in 1881 and founded the company to produce unfinished wooden furniture frames, which were then sold to upholstery manufacturers for completion. The company experienced steady growth, with Gottlieb's younger brother Jacob and later his son Louis G. Buehler joining the business. By 1913, Gottlieb Buehler & Co. had become one of the leading parlor frame manufacturers in the region. The company continued to adapt its product line to changing consumer preferences, transitioning from parlor furniture to more modern designs during the 1950s and 60s. In the 1940s, Louis G.'s sons, Louis J.G. and Paul Buehler, joined the company, marking the third generation of family involvement. The company remained under family management until it was sold to Bethlehem Furniture Company following the deaths of Louis G. in 1974 and Paul in 1986.

It's highly likely that this chandelier has some connections to the Buehler family business but, at the moment, I am not able to attribute it to a particular worker. The "Halophane USA 6588" refers to the maker of the glass shade, it doesn't have anything to do with the maker of the iron chandelier.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

An antique Gothic revival / Arts & Crafts wrought iron chandelier
probably made in the Buehler Furniture Company, early 20th Century
The outer cage design with six spires and tracery and outset pierced gallery with flanking lions, the inner cage with castellated upper rim and twisted supports enclosing a single domed shade, marked "Halophane USA 6588
42 inches tall, 27 inches diameter
CONDITION: This chandelier appears to be in good condition.
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$1,200-1,800*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia