Peerless Lighting Company, Chicago
The recent discovery of an important trade catalog from this company has sparked additional research into their leaded shade offerings.
At present, we have limited information about the company’s early history. However, it appears that Peerless remains active in the lighting industry today, operating in Canada and affiliated with Acuity Brands in the United States. According to the Peerless website, the company was founded in 1892 by a pair of immigrant brothers.
The two brothers mentioned may have been Max Herkovitz and his younger brother, Abraham. Their family immigrated from Hungary, arriving in 1895. Their father, Samuel Herkovitz, although not yet confirmed, was likely the founder of the company. Both Max and Abraham later held significant positions within the firm.
A newspaper article from November 1903 announced the first incorporation under the Peerless name. The three principal incorporators were S. W. Ettleston, Charles Weinfeld, and F. P. Sadler, and the company was launched with a capital investment of $10,000.
The 1906 Directory of Chicago Directory of Directors shows these appointments:
- Max Herkkovitz - President , Treasurer and Director
- Abraham Herkovitz - Secretary & Director
- Charles Weinfeld - Vice President & Director
- Jay Poelma, Vice President & Director
- Richard Poelma - Secretary, Manager & Director
- Charles Weinfeld - Vice President & Director
Max is credited with numerous patents during the 1920s, most involving light socket design.
The Peerless company operated as a wholesale distributor for a vast array of products serving both residential and commercial customers. Although the majority of their 1912–1914 catalog is devoted to accessories, hardware, and Victorian molded glass shades, it also features several models of leaded shades. These examples suggest that Peerless acted primarily as an agent for the makers of leaded shades rather than producing them in-house. That said, the company did engage in manufacturing—most notably their gas mantles, which were widely promoted and supported by a nationwide network of dealers.
It should be noted that the range of leaded lamps featured in this catalog mirror most of those included in the Alter Light catalog of 1916. The founders of both Peerless and Alter Light must have been acutely aware of each other in the highly profitable lighting market.The product line is very much in line with that of The Alter Light company.
The catalog spans 109 pages and covers nearly every aspect of lighting. Included is an intriguing selection of leaded shade models from well-known firms of the period, such as Chicago Mosaic, Neuhauser, and possibly Royal, along with a single Duffner hanger. Although lanterns and shower fixtures are not shown here, the company offered an extensive range of them as well.
