Little Info Available
Ah, one of my collecting favorites. Here's the little I know ...
Basically, there's not that much info out there re Heifetz -- other than that it produced (for a brief time) several lamps that won a MoMA-sponsored lighting competition in 1950 or 1951. Those lamps are now very well-known and highly sought after (and thus very expensive). Most collectors know Heifetz via these lamps (esp, e.g., the ones by Gilbert Watrous with the magnetic ball-and-socket as hinge).
Heifetz also produced more kitschy looking lamps, especially table lamps that incorporated wood-carved or ceramic bases (usually in a typical 50s 'biomorphic' design). These are relatively common, and don't seem to fetch a huge interest.
Heifetz also made "stand alone" ceramic pieces (e.g., bookends, ashtrays, and jewelry boxes). I have a few of these and they show up every so often on eBay and the like (not very expensive).
Heifetz is also known for its "Rotaflex" or "Rotoflex" line of plastic lamps. These show up somewhat frequently, though condition is always an issue.
Also, I've also seen some small sculptures made by Yasha Heifetz, its founder, in some auctions. (spelling may be wrong). Thus, he may have been some sort of sculptor.
Other than that, not much is known. I have an old catalogue of the Rotoflex lamps from the 50s, but the rest is mostly folklore. As far as I know, they were a Connecticut-based company, but had a store in midtown New York City during the 50s (I have an Interiors Magazine w/an article re the store -- pretty slick, certainly for its day). No evidence that Heifetz existed beyond the early 1960s.
I too am always searching more Heifetz info ...
Yasha Heifetz
Yasha Heifetz was an artist & sculptor with a passion for woodcarving. He is Best known today for being the manufacturer of the 10 important lamps designed for the Museum of Modern Art lighting design competition of 1950.
Heifetz opened his shop The Heifetz Company in Manhatten in the late 40?s with a focus on modern decorative objects & lighting. He would go on to sell small hand crafted pieces of furniture as well, which adheared to the modern aestetic. Heifetz had a full compliment woodworking studio in his home, where he did the carving for the sculptural elements adorning many of the lamps sold in his Manhatten shop.
Heifetz wooden fish sculpture lamp
I've always said that this lamp would be the first thing I would grab in case my apt. caught on fire. Actually it's 2 fish on a platform of 4 tiers. I would love to get it appraised online. I have pics and it is engraved in the back HEIFETZ.Thanks.
Heifetz wooden fish sculpture lamp on eBay
There is currently a Heifetz "fish lamp" on eBay. It has an opening bid set at $250. (sans lampshade and I assume finial) and will end on Oct. 6.
I didn't even get into Heifetz lamps until I recently got a beautifully hand-hammered brass biomorphic themed Heifetz. It's huge, but has become one of my favorite pieces. The original shade and finial, as with the rest of lamp, have remained in pristine shape.
I love all the Heifetz lamps I have seen, yet admittedly that includes only about ten or so that I've been able to track down on the 'net.
Yasha Heifitz lamps
My Aunt, in her 90's, worked for Yasha Heifitz and gave her 2 lamps as a wedding gift. The are both hammered brass (I believe) one in the outline of a female figure and one of a man. They still have the original lampshades. I wonder where I might get an appraisal value for these. She lives in southeast FL. Thank you for any help you can provide.
Heifetz got around to a "little more" than designing lamps
According to Answers.com, Jascha Heifetz had his lamp company when he was a young man and did the designing of the items, but also, according to this source, he is the same Jascha Heifetz that became the best violinist in the country during the second half of the 20th century...right up there with Itzhak Perlman and Yehudi Menuhin. I mean no one could touch him when it came to playing the violin. He was the best. This is the same guy!
http://www.answers.com/topic/jascha-heifetz?&print=true
Must have been difficult to run his Manhattan lamp business
from his home in Los Angeles, where he'd been living for years before the MoMA competition.
Plus, why'd he spell his name "Jascha" when he was fiddling, but "Yasha" when he was sculpting and making lamps? Was he trying to be incognito? It must have worked, since no one but your anonymous answers.com author -- including Herbert Axelrod, who wrote a 750-page Jascha Heifetz biography -- has ever said that the violinist and the lamp manufacturer were one and the same.
Hey, do you think answers.com might know whether this guy was also the King of Pop? I've always suspected that he was:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52716.asp
Heifetz seemed to have had a...
Heifetz seemed to have had a US distribution deal with Rotaflex - the UK company who manufactured, in particular, John & Sylvia Reid's designs. I'm not sure if it was a reciprocal arrangement - I haven't knowingly seen any Heifetz lighting in the UK, but that may mean nothing because Rotaflex definitely had a deal to distribute the French Genie range in the UK and I've never seen any of that either!
Heifetz/Rotoflex/Rotaflex
I believe the confusion might be in that Heifetz's range of spun acetate lamps was marketed as Rotoflex, designed by Yasha Heifetz and sold alongside his more handmade sculptural lamps in the US, whereas in Britain Rotaflex was a lighting company that was started by Bernard Stern around 1953 and also produced spun acetate lamps, sometime after the mid 50's John & Sylvia Reid were employed and added new designs as some of the earlier designs became dated and were phased out. The designs/styles between the two companies were different although certainly not dissimilar. The ceiling lamp in the picture looks like a Heifetz example rather than a Rotaflex one. Please correct me if I'm wrong as it's many years ago that I researched this area and there was very little info on the Heifetz/Rotoflex range, so I hope my memory is correct on the spelling with an 'o'.....
heifetz lamps
heifetz indeed was act. company, he and his wife lived in ct. until his passin g some years ago. I went to his home and bought many items, including watrous lamps, crate lamp, rotofex lamps of many sytles, and a group of other designs in various materials. I also bought a pair of beautiful vases he made for his wife. his wife move to florida ad resides there, where exactly, I don't know, but their home was very attractive and well furnished with great design.
Heifetz original wooden lamp base/sculpture
I am reading all the info I can as I have a wooden lamp base, which is a HEIFETZ, but unfortunately is not in very good condition. Whoever had it did not realize what they had in their possession I assume, as it is quite scratched. It is a Asian / Oriental woman. I found the mate had sold on ebay in May of 2011. I have as yet been unable to find the person. I am selling this because I am unable to keep it at this time and it is still valuable to whoever appreciates this beautiful artwork.
SOME people way that it is the SAME Heifetz as the virtuoso violinist..and some say it is not. I am looking for the truth.
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