Vintage Photos: NYC’s Historic Bishop’s Crook Lampposts

All photos by Robert Mulero

After we published our article on 5 types of historic lampposts in NYC, we heard from the veritable Robert Mulero, who has been documenting the city’s lampposts since the 1970s. He wrote us, “I was called from The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in March of 1997 to testify for these old lampposts. I have photos of old and new lampposts going back to 1977.” Mulero was born on the Lower East Side and tells Untapped that he had “this love for street lights” since he was 5 years old. He remembers distinctly in 1962 when the lights on his street were removed and replaced by modern ones.

Mulero kindly offered to share with us his collection of vintage photographs of the Type 1 Bishop’s Crook lampposts which were manufactured by the J.L. Mott Iron Works of New York and served by the Thomas Edison Company. According to Forgotten New York, the Type 1 Bishop’s Crook was designed by Richard Rogers Bowker, an executive at Edison.  Besides the beautiful curved design (many you see today are recreations or replacements), it’s fun to see the old cars, yellow street signs and store signage in the photographs. Check them out below!

Broadway:

Centre Street and Walker Street with a Type 24A curved crook (now removed):

E. 48th Street (now removed):

E. 46th Street:

W. 10th at Patchin Place:

Patchin Place:

Patchin Place:

Bottom of a base:

City Hall:

E 48th Street:

Symbol of Edison Illuminating Company:

Symbol of City of New York on a base:

10th Avenue (now removed):

Riverside Drive:

Mulero graduated from the High School of Art & Design, worked for the New York State Insurance fund, retired and now works part time for Metro-North. He’s a toy collector and tells us, “yes, I do have street lights in my collection.” Read more about NYC’s landmarked historic lampposts here!