Antique and Vintage Hanging Lamps

Hanging lamps, which include everything from single pendants to elaborate chandeliers, have illuminated interior spaces for thousands of years. The earliest examples were made of clay and fueled by animal fat. Later, oil was used to fire bronze or glass fixtures.

By the Middle Ages, metal chandelier-like fixtures called polycandelons were hung from the ceilings of churches and other public structures. Some held bowls filled with oil and wicks while others were designed for candles. In fact, the word “chandelier” has its roots in the Latin word for “candle.” Early chandeliers and polycandelons were usually attached to a rope or cable that was looped through a pulley so they could be lowered to be lit, raised into position, then lowered again so candles and wicks could be snuffed.

Gas lamps, which were introduced in the early 1800s, are normally associated with sconces, but hanging gas lamps, called gasoliers, were also used in homes that could afford this newfangled technology. Next came kerosene in 1857. Again, even though we associate kerosene lamps with the chimney-style table lamps made by Aladdin and others, the fuel was also used in hanging Victorian Era lamps...

Because of the heat generated by kerosene and gas lamps, flames were contained by etched glass of various colors—from frosted white to ruby red to multicolored slag—while the lamp’s hardware was typically made of brass. There must have been concerns at the time about the safety of kerosene lamps since they were often advertised as being “non-explosive,” but kerosene lamps burned brighter than gas, so for many the risk was worth it.

While some 19th-century kerosene lamps hung from chains, others were suspended by decorative rods that, in turn, supported a pair, or pairs, of arms. Because kerosene chandeliers required daily maintenance, a pulley was often secreted inside the decorative plate that also hid the lamp’s connection to the ceiling.

As the 20th century dawned and electricity became ubiquitous, many gasoliers and chandeliers were retrofitted. Other types of new hanging lamps included the so-called pan chandeliers, whose light sources were placed at the ends their multiple arms. Then there were hanging lamps that featured Tiffany-like shades over their lights, or clear prismatic glass shades that sent light streaming throughout a room.

The advantage of new hanging lamps, as opposed to retrofitted ones, was that their designs weren't constrained by the presence of fire. Thus, Art Nouveau lamps could be as naturalistic and free-flowing as their designers demanded, while Art Deco fixtures in brushed metal could be accented by shades shaped like bongo drums. By the 1950s and ’60s, the space-age look of Mid-century Modern lamps suggested starbursts and flying saucers, which would hover benignly over nuclear families enjoying meals at their Danish modern dining tables.

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Recent News: Hanging Lamps

Source: Google News

Ten per cent discount on brass lamps at expo
The Hindu, June 12th

Other lamps include three feet and five feet Lakshmi and Ganesh lamps, prabai lamps, annam hanging lamp, table lamp, Kerala Malabar and Vazhapu lamp, balaji branch lamp, panchalinga deepam, agals, kubera deepam, astalakshmi, and kamatchi lamps...Read more

Make the most of your kitchen remodel
KOMO News, June 8th

Make the most of your kitchen remodel. What looks like a hanging lamp is actually the Sorpresa Sphera range hood. Image: Best. Most of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So, no surprise that it's one of the most frequently remodeled rooms in the house...Read more

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Washington Post, June 6th

Try a mother-of-pearl hanging lamp from Pier 1 Imports ($150, www.pier1.com). Bring your entry into this century with just one switch to a neo-traditional pendant. When used properly, brass can be more retro than dated, as Thomas O'Brien proves with...Read more

Patrick Caulfield, Tate Britain, review
Telegraph.co.uk, June 3rd

Window at Night from 1969 shows nothing more interesting than an empty room lit by a hanging lamp seen through a grid formed by the panes of a leaded window. But by swivelling the window so that it is very slightly out of alignment with the picture...Read more

Build This Easy Desk Lamp From CDs
Lifehacker Australia, June 3rd

Remember when burning CDs was a thing, and everyone had stacks and stacks of blank CDs stored on spindles? Well, if you still have some of those spindles and no need for the CDs anymore, this easy DIY project turns them into a fun desk or hanging lamp ...Read more

Skinner Hosts Auction of 20th Century Design in Boston
News-Antique.com (press release), June 3rd

Modern and contemporary lighting includes iconic design such as: a Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen PH-5 hanging lamp (lot 524, $600 to $800), a Curtis Jere Crane lamp (lot 625, $1,200 to $1,600), and two Tom Dixon mirror ball pendant lamps (lot 624, ...Read more

Haru Izakaya: Japanese small plates lack zip in Gatineau (resto review)
Ottawa Citizen (blog), May 22nd

We liked the image of Buddha beside the entrance to the kitchen, the flowered carpet and striking, red, flower-shaped hanging lamp, but were less keen on Elton John singing too loudly on the sound system, and the sports channel on the bar's TV. But we...Read more