Anyone know period of lights?

Apologies for double posting - I added a thread in introductions then read better to post questions here.

I've recently moved into an old victorian house which has these lights in the hallway. I'm interested to know what period/style they are as I haven't seen anything similar from Google search.

They are made of brass with some kind of hard paint on top.

Any insights would be much appreciated!

 

More and close up photos please. The style is early 20th C, but those were reproduced in the 50s. Sounds like they may be ormolu, or some muppet has overpainted them.

 

Jon, you can still go back to edit and delete your picture from the other thread and add a reference to this thread. Otherwise people will be answering one and not know about the other, which leads to confusion.

 

Thanks. The story goes that they are original to the house but not sure if just legend or not.

Please ignore messy rewire - I did that as they were buzzing!

 

I think they're period - late 19th/early 20th. The glass and metal links look right. Are you sure they're metal? They look as though they're made to emulate stone or marble. I'd take them down and spend a loooong time cleaning them. Gently.

It would be useful to see inside that bulb fitting, too.

 

They look 19th century to me, so I would say original to the house.

 

Thank you. Much appreciated. I have taken them down and cleaned but the coating won't clean any further. I don't want to push it until I know what the coating is and can use correct method.

Definitely metal as I had to take the coating back to get an earth connection. It was brass.

I've attached photo of connection in one of the arms. The centre connection is difficult to get to. The centre connection is the same but with a hole at top to allow cable connections from arms.

Thanks again for your help.

 

Also, do you know which country they are from? Just interested to get any history about them

 

British fitment, then. I'm now in two minds and wondering if they were converted. If they've no sign of that, then I think they're later than I first thought.

I agree on being careful with that coating. I think it's some kind of faux stone effect paint.

 

I have a slightly cheeky suggestion. Email this bunch: https://www.drewpritchard.co.uk/

Say you might be having them restored or even selling them. See what they say about age and that finish.

 

Thanks. Yes, the house is in Leeds. It's just someone in the house (split into flats) said they might be Italian. I have no idea!

There are holes for cable in the base of the arms and channels in the arms. The connectors also screw into the base of the arm - so I assumed that they were made for electic. The house was built in 1890 so just at time electric lighting was starting to be used.

Thanks - I will follow your advice!

 

The fitting is British, rather than European, but it mght well have been changed or updated. That pineapple finial is very British, and the shape certainly looks early 20th. I think they're super, and well worth restoring gently. The glass dangles remind me of some on fittings my parents had, bought in the late 40s. So I'm still undecided!

 

I don't think they are as old as the house. I am thinking more art deco period, 20s-30s, but could have been made as much as a couple decades later.

 

Despite some peripheral touches of an earlier stylistic period - the pineapple finials, the acanthus leaf bases & the crystal dangles - my immediate reaction to the overall shape was that they are art deco. While I can see a designer of that period incorporating elements from an earlier time, I simply cannot imagine the shades being by a Victorian era designer.

Also, if they always hung by those chains, & I see no reason to think they did not, can't see how they were ever anything other than electric. No way to get gas to them.

I'm voting with Brad.

 

BTW, I love them & hope you can bring them back to regular use.

Compared to the rest of the body, the one dangle shown looks extremely crude, both glass/crystal & the wires attaching it. Any chance these were added somehow?

 

Pritchard will know.

 

Thanks all much appreciated.

The one dangle was put back on... by me. Temporary fix. Ceilings are 3.5 m so would have to have keen eyes to spot from ground. They are fully working.

I won't change them as really like them now. Hated them on first sight!

Thanks again.

 

Thought so. Paperclip?

 

Electronic cigarette element wire actually!