to read about the fascinating history of the chandelier.

The Light Fantastic
ADRIAN ALAN LTD - A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHANDELIER
For centuries the chandelier has been the most iconic lighting form to
grace our interiors, balancing a decorative and aesthetic function with
practical illumination. From its beginnings it was associated with
wealth and power and a burning symbol of success and social
standing.
Primitive chandeliers, often little more than suspended crossed
timbers with spikes to retain candles, came into use in Europe, by way
of the church towards the end of the ninth century. Their use
gradually spreading to Royal Palaces and Castles, replacing the simple
rush lights or torches previously favoured.
Developing in response to the type of fuel used and to the aesthetic
and technological advancements of the day, the form evolved from its
simple wooden origins into light holders of increasing complexity.
Illustration of a medieval chandelier from King
René's Tournament Book published in 1460
Firstly iron and brass chandeliers appeared with crown rings and multiple tiers, to maximise the number of
lights. Then as a conjunction of their decorative and practical use, luxurious and costly materials such as
silver, gilded wood and bronze began to be favoured.
An important early form of metal chandelier appeared in Holland and
Germany during the fifteenth century, especially in areas around the lower
Rhine near Cologne and in northern Germany, as well as in Flemish centres
such as Dinant. Made of polished brass or silver with baluster stems and large
spherical globes, they elegantly reflected candlelight from their polished
surfaces and became the dominant style for many centuries.
The simplicity of the design meant that many of these chandeliers survived the
Puritan era in England, while more ornate chandeliers of gilded bronze, often
with grotesque and cast decoration began to appear in countries such as
France.
Towards the end of the sixteenth century chandeliers began to be dressed with rock crystal, a transparent
form of quartz, to refract and diffuse light and to create a sense of luxurious wonder.
For thousands of years Rock crystal has been prized for its
beauty and its remarkable ability to refract light. When cut
and polished, the inherent striations and inclusions of the
crystal create a refracted light richer in luminosity than that
of manmade crystal or glass. These properties have made it
highly desirable throughout history; its scarcity ensuring its
use was limited to all but the most luxurious of decorative
items.
One of the earliest recorded-references to rock crystal
chandeliers in France is in 1697, when Louis XIV offered
twelve grand 'lustres' in 'cristal de roche’ to the King of Siam.
Louis XV also possessed a chandelier with twelve branches
in his chambre a coucher at Versailles which had been
delivered by Delaroue and Slodtz. This was commented on
by the duc de Luynes: 'on a mis dans la chambre du roi, un
chandelier en cristal de roche d'une grande beauté et que l'on
estime au moins a 100 000 livres'.'
The highest value for rock crystal was historically based, like
diamonds, on two things - the weight and the clarity or
limpidity of the crystal, the clearer the better, hence the
phrase d'une tres belle eau.
An Important Louis XV Style Twelve-Light
Rock Crystal and Gilt-Bronze Chandelier
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An Important Set of Four Louis XV Style Six-Light
Gilt-Bronze Rock Crystal Cage Chandeliers
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The imitation of rock crystal began in Venice in the fifteenth century. To do this, the glassmakers invented
a 'crystal' made in reality of glass combined with a mixture of potassium, silicon, manganese and lead oxide
heated to between 1200 and 1500 degrees.. This process was further developed in eighteenth century
Bohemia and, subsequently in France with the Manufactures Royales de cristaux. A true alternative was
finally developed in 1676 by George Ravenscroft in England with the invention of lead crystal. Easily cut
and highly refractive lead crystal was even more transparent than rock crystal and led to a revolution in
chandelier production.
By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the ease of production of lead crystal gave birth to spectacular
all-crystal chandeliers, with even the metal stem piece encased. An incredibly diverse range of chandeliers
was now available with tent and basket forms and neo-classical examples made possible by the production
of regular cut drops, spangles and festoons. A golden age both in innovation and design the chandelier
became as today the focal point of interior schemes with designers such as Robert Adam adapting and
developing the form to fit within his interiors.
In England firms such as Hancock & Rixon, F. &. C. Osler and Perry & Co produced fantastical chandeliers in
cut-glass and crystal of astonishing quality and complexity. Chandeliers become more refined and ornate
during the years, with the development of new geometries and techniques of production. The transition
to gas and later electricity as methods of illumination did not harm the form of the chandelier but added to
its evolution allowing for ever more sophisticated and ingenious designs.
An Exceptional and Large Pair of George III Style Cut-Crystal
Twenty-Four Light Chandeliers by Perry & Co
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The high-status of chandeliers during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is confirmed by the
important role they played as diplomatic gifts and their appeal as the must have luxury objects, by rulers
and potentates across the globe. One of the largest and most remarkable chandeliers in the world was by
the firm of Osler, weighing 4.5 tons and adorned with 750 lamps, which was a diplomatic gift from Queen
Victoria to the Turkish Sultan. It can be found today in the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.
F. & C. Osler & Company, one of the most successful and revered manufacturers of the nineteenth
century, even opened showrooms and offices as far afield as India and many of their chandeliers still adorn
its palaces and public buildings.
A Fine and Ornate Enamelled Overlay Ten-Light Osler Chandelier by Osler
With Storm Shades and Gilt Enrichments
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This Impressive Regency Six-Light
Gilt-Bronze Chandelier by Hancock
& Co. demonstrates how technical
advancements and the quest for
cleaner and brighter illumination
influenced
the
design
of
chandeliers.
Originally illuminated by the
burning of Colza oil, each arm was
gravity fed from oil reservoirs in
the form of classical urns. The
tulip shaped shades shielded the
flame, while their frosted glass
subtly diffused the light.
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In France the incredible skill of its
metal workers and gilders resulted
in the production of some
exceptional chandeliers cast from
the finest bronze in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries.
These designs were often revisited
in the nineteenth century and
produced to incredible standards
alongside innovative new styles.
Today these nineteenth century
examples remain highly sought
after both for their decorative
appeal and their exceptional
quality.
A Fine Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Cherub Six-Light
Chandelier after the Model by Pierre Gouthière
For Marie Antoinette
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A Very Fine Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Nine-Light Chandelier
After the Model by Jacques Caffiéri
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In Europe great advancements in glass making were also being made and can be seen in the works of
companies such as J. & L. Lobmeyer in Vienna and Baccarat in France who created exceptional crystal-glass
chandeliers from the 1820’s onwards.
Baccarat, perhaps the most famous of all glass manufacturers, began to flourish at the beginning of the
nineteenth century, as the effects of the Napoleonic Wars abated, and its reputation was consolidated by
the official approval from various sovereigns and heads of state. At the 1823 Exposition Nationale in Paris,
it was Baccarat's crystal ware that Louis XVIII was said to have particularly admired, appreciating its
'beautiful workmanship'.
François-Eugène de Fontenay (who
joined the company in 1841)
discovered that by the addition of
the
nickel
oxide
in
the
manufacturing process, a perfectly
clear product, 'crystal glass', free of
discolouration and with qualities to
rival rock crystal could be produced.
Baccarat's 'crystal glass' reached the
highest level by the end of the
nineteenth century.
A Rare Crystal and Gilt-Bronze Waterfall Chandelier
By La Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat
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A Fine Gilt Bronze and Cut-Glass Twenty-Four Light Chandelier
By La Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat
Click Here For Details
Combining the finest cut-glass in the world, with some of the most stunning
gilt-bronze work ever produced, Baccarat created chandeliers of breathtaking
beauty, which graced the ceilings of Royal Palaces and the grandest houses
across the world.
_______________________________________
The chandelier may have evolved over the centuries but its importance and prestige remains. The very
best examples from the nineteenth century have become rare and highly sought after, their quality and
design having never been surpassed. For period interiors the chandelier remains de rigueur, completing
the decorative scheme with a sophisticated and impressive focal point, for modern interiors the addition of
an antique chandelier can act as a striking and impressive statement piece.
With one of the largest selections of fine nineteenth century chandeliers in the world, we would be
delighted to assist you in choosing the perfect light for your home.
Email: [email protected]
© Adrian Alan Ltd 2011