Duffner & Kimberly was a New York City company which produced leaded glass and bronze lamps around the same time as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany Studios. The Duffner & Kimberly Company was formed in December 1905, with a capital outlay of $350,000. The firm introduced its first lamps in 1906. Founding The company resulted from the partnership of the creative stained glass window designer Oliver Speers Kimberly (1871–1956) and Francis ("Frank") Joseph Duffner (1860–1929), born in Cleveland, Ohio, who had more than 20 years of experience in the lighting industry. Frank Duffner Duffner's parents were Charles Duffner (1832-1891) and Marguerite ("Maggie") Duffner (1838-1886). They were immigrants from Germany, and it appears that Francis was their only surviving child. Charles Duffner ran a china and crockery store in Cleveland, which he owned in partnership with his older brother, Joseph Duffner (1825-1898). Francis worked in the store as a clerk, and was working there as late as 1880, at the time of the enumeration of the Federal Census. His first known employment was with the Bradley and Hubbard Manufacturing Company of Meriden, Connecticut, for a few years from about 1881. Before 1885, he was employed by the Manhattan Brass Company, founded in New York City in 1865. On March 11, 1886, he founded the Pittsburgh Brass Company with Henry C. Adler (1840–1912) and Cornelius Bermingham (1853–1932). In 1888, Adler left the firm to found a competing enterprise, and Joseph Duffner sold his interest to Bermingham (who was still listed as President of the company in 1900). From 1889 through 1901, he was head of the Lamp Department for The Phoenix Glass Company, located in Monaca, Pennsylvania; however, Duffner was located in the company's office and showrooms in New York City. In July 1898, Duffner was granted a U.S. Patent for a new lamp dome design. He changed employment again in 1901, and became a manager with The Plume and Atwood firm, a Waterbury, Connecticut, concern which manufactured brass rivets, nuts, and bolts, as well as kerosene lamps. Again, Duffner was located at Plume and Atwood's New York City office. It appears that Duffner's permanent home was in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where his wife, Caroline ("Carrie") K. Armstrong Duffner (1864–1943) was born. There is no evidence to suggest that Francis Joseph Duffner was responsible for any creative input to this partnership, but rather was President to plan marketing strategy against this company's main