Hi Rob,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

This is quite a story!

Genealogical records show an Albert J. Blosveren lived in New Haven, Connecticut, born in 1895, which suggests that the Blosveren family has roots in the area in the early–mid 20th century. This aligns with the family‑named small lamp repair business in mid‑20th‑century New Haven.

Collis Potter Huntington (1821–1900) was a major American industrialist and railroad magnate, best known as one of the “Big Four” who built the Central Pacific Railroad, part of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. His life and career were pivotal in the development of American railroads and the industrial expansion of the late 19th century.

In 1889, Collis P. Huntington acquired six adjoining lots at the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 57th Street to build a grand residence for himself and his second wife, Arabella “Belle” Huntington.
The house was designed to reflect the latest Gilded Age tastes — large, formal, and built to display art and antiques, much like other contemporary mansions by America’s wealthiest industrialists. Its exterior was substantial, faced in rough stone with wrought iron fencing, and it stood among other grand Fifth Avenue houses of the era.

The Huntington mansion on 57th Street was eventually demolished as the area transitioned from private residences to more commercial and institutional uses — a fate shared by many Gilded Age mansions of that stretch of Fifth Avenue.

While pairs of onyx lamps of similar size and form typically sell at auction for between $1,000-2,000, the connection to Huntington would improve their interest among collectors and I would not be surprised to see this pair sell for between $3,000-5,000 at auction.

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

A pair of Mexican onyx table lamps
repurposed from railing banisters by Alfred J. Blosveren, New Haven, mid 20th Century
each 28 inches tall
CONDITION: this pair of lamps appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$3,000-5,000 for the pair*
*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