Authentic Products

LCA Associates offers research and development services to corporations desiring to produce historically authentic product lines. The following are examples of previous projects. (You may click on each image to view a larger version.)

Progress Lighting: American Victorian Reproductions

Reproducing cast brass antique chandeliers which originally were gas illuminated, but now must be electrified to meet current safety codes and high production standards, is a considerable challenge. Progress Lighting, the world’s largest manufacturer of home lighting fixtures, successfully combined faithful reproductions and quality production in their American Victorian Collection developed by LCA Associates. Historic prototypes were identified, pattern–making supervised, and manufacturing of each element reviewed as produced in Germany, Mexico, and Canada.

LCA Associates also suggested appropriate locations for product catalogue photography, assisted in drafting advertising copy, and conducted a three–day training retreat for regional sales managers before the introduction of what proved to be a highly successful line now found in historic buildings and private residences across the country and abroad.

 

Page from Progress Lighting Catalogue of the LCA Associates “American Victorian Authentic Reproductions,” illustrating a Rocco–Revival, mid–19^th–century American gasolier photographed in the parlor of Maxwell Mansion, Philadelphia.

Sherwin–Williams: Heritage Colors

To accompany Roger Moss’s book, Century of Color, a line of 40 authentic Victorian paint colors was developed and named by LCA Associates.  Working with the manufacturer’s color lab, the hue, value, and chroma were carefully tuned to closely match colors used by nineteenth–century home and business owners.  Color combinations for various styles of historic houses were developed and descriptive language drafted to explain the history of color use and placement.

Sherwin–Williams “Heritage Colors, 1820–1920” sample card
of colors authenticated by Roger Moss for LCA Associates.

Katzenbach & Warren Wallpapers for The Athenæum of Philadelphia

Two wallpaper books were developed by LCA Associates based on documents from the Athenæum’s archive for this high–end line owned by Imperial Home Decor Group, the largest wallpaper company in the world.  Royalties were paid to the Athenæum by the manufacturer.  LCA Associates selected marketable patterns, appropriate colorways were developed, and advertising copy written.  Room locations in museum houses for photography were selected, negotiated, and both installation and photography supervised by LCA Associates.  These wallpapers were unusual in the trade because the patterns were based on original wallpaper documents (rather than dress or upholstery fabrics) and both the document colorway and the original scale were preserved.  Too often so called ‘reproduction’ lines change both the colorway and the scale and thus the final product bears little resemblance to the original documents.  The authenticity of these books of wallpaper made them particular favorites among museum curators and old house owners.  Both the licensee and the licensor found the relationship profitable.

“Thomas Sully Ashlar” from the first licensed wallpaper line reproduced from an original sample from the Athenæum’s collection developed by LCA Associates.	“Corded Satin” paper and matching fabric from the second licensed Athenæum collection developed by LCA Associates.