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M A L L E T T Established 1865

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M A L L E T T Lighting

2002

141 New Bond Street, London wi

Bourdon House, 2 Da\ ies Street, London wi

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

i8th century

Candles

igth century

page 5

7

9

41

43

The progression of light 54

Lighting for Country 68 Houses

19th century Revivalism 71

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F'ront ccn er and froiuispiecc: Details of (Jcorgian wall light ilkistratccl on page 23.

F o r e w o r e

Tlic correct clioicc of" lighting, whether for a grand palace or a small cottage, is the most important way to create a welcoming ambience. It may be for illumination of a prized object, suitable lighting for bedtime reading or flattering lighting for a dinner party, but it must be carefully chosen. Only the kitchen and the ba throom recjuire l)right, even lighting.

Mallett is justly renowned for its table lamps based on the \ ase form, gi\'ing warmth to li\-ing rooms throughout the world, but these arc only part of the range of lighting fittings offered by the company. This catalogue illustrates the wide range of chandeliers, wall lights and candlesticks currently held in the company's stock.

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Introduction

Perhaps tlie greatest revolution in interior decora t ion was b rough t al)out by the in t roduct ion of electric light at the end of the n ine teen th century. T h e deve lopment of electricity, gradual ly perfected, marks the end of the theme we have chosen for this \ o l u m e but equally it enhances our percept ion and evaluat ion of the decorat ive lighting fixtures of the previous generat ions.

W e \'iew now, with fascination, the ex t raord inary inventi\ 'eness and decorati\-e c h a r m of the m a n y de\'ices and me thods of lighting that played a significant par t in the decorat ive arts before the invention of electricity. T h e a tmosphere was changed for e\'cr, thank goodness, but the older l ighting fixtures, f rom chandel iers to candlesticks, could now be considered in themseK es for wondrously varied qualities, even as minor works of art . T h e y were of ten m a d e to \ ery fine designs a n d of superb craf t smanship . Moreover , in adap ted circumstances , their effecti\ 'eness remains entirely relex ant and suited to m o d e r n life.

Light had h i ther to been dependen t always on some sort of f lame but the receptacles and mechanics for providing and maximis ing it, lead to ingenuity and decorat ive imaginat ion that together form an intriguing subject. In the comfor t of today's world the devices still provide special e n c h a n t m e n t .

J o h n S m i t h ' a n d all of us at Mallet t have enjoyed p repa r ing this first comprehens ive collection of beaut i fu l pieces relat ing to the i l lumination of fine rooms. W e hope you too will enjoy this anthology de\'Oted to a vital aspect of interior decora t ion a n d collecting.

Lan to Synge Chief Executive

Louis Haghe (d. 1885) 'The Artist's Studio' signed and dated 1860 watercolour over pencil heightened with bodycolour A similar brass chandelier can be seen on page 10.

I 8TH CENTURY

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I 8 T H C E N T U R Y

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Giltwood was occasionally used in

the making of chandeliers, and

wrought iron was sometimes used,

giving a medieval appearance , but

brass was the usual material for

both ecclesiastical and secular

chandeliers during the first half of

the eighteenth century.

A large brass chandelier

A two tier brass tweh'c light chandelier ,

surmounted by a double headed eagle.

Each branch is o f ' S " scroll form with

further subsidiary scroll ornaments.

T h e stem is of niulti]5le baluster form

terminating in a globe finial.

L o w Clountries, circa 1720

Height: 32 in f8i cm)

Width: 28 in (71 cm)

Th i s chandelier is ty])ical of those

shown in church interiors in Dutch

"Old Nhister" paintings.

A six branch chandelier

A mid 18th century brass six branch

chandelier, each arm o f ' S ' scroll form,

supported by a column witli incised

lines and shaped collars.

English, circa 1750

Height: 21 in (53 cm)

\\'idth: 27 in (69 cm)

I 8 T H C E N T U R Y

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A brass jive arm chandelier

A small mid i8th century fi\'e branch

brass chandelier with turned and

reeded stem and scrolling arms with

turned nozzles and dri|) pans

I'^nglish, circa 1760

Height: 19 in (48 cm;

Width: 23 in (58 cm)

A late Louis XV ormolu lantern

A n exceptional large scale hexagonal

early neo-classical late Louis X \ '

ormolu lantern. There is a smoke cowl

at the a])ex of the lantern which has

below it a fi\ e-branch scroll cano|)v.

Each face of the lantern is of serjjentine

outline and is f ramed with scrolling

applied elements. T h e upper ones

surmoimted by acorn finials, each panel

is surmounted by a scroll with a foliate

element at its summit. T h e lantern

has a two part, fi\ e-branch chandelier

element.

T h e design is a neo-classical adaption

of the lantern recorded at the Chateau

de Montgeof f rey , M a i n e et Loire,

between 1771 and 1772.

f ' rench, circa 1770

Height: 41 in (104 cm)

Diameter : 25 in (64 cm)

( i lazed lanterns were wicleh' used,

particularly in hallways, the glazing

[)rotecting the l lame from draughts

caused by open doors and windows.

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I 8 t h c e n t u r y

A bronze gothic hall lantern

A v e r y rare , large scale i8th century

gothic b ronze h e x a g o n a l lantern, each

side s u r m o u n t e d by a quatre fo i l finial

a n d each c o r n e r by a spire finial a b o v e

cluster c o l u m n supports , with foliate

ball finials at the base , reta ining its

or ig inal double oil l a m p fixture,

s u r m o u n t e d by a glass smoke cowl a n d

foliate cresting. T h e castings are o f

except ional qual i ty a n d precis ion

throughout a n d the lantern retains its

or iginal pat ina .

Engl i sh , circa 1790

Height : 34 in (86.5 cm)

Width : 17V4 in (45 cm)

T h i s colsa l a m p , which has n o w been

electri f ied, demonstrates c learly the

care that went into its design. T h e glass

cowl at the top of the lantern w o u l d

sto]) smoke f r o m the two f l ames f rom

blackening the ceil ing. T h e left hand

pane is h inged, with the catch clearly

visible, to enable the ser\'ant to light the

l a m p through the o|3en d o o r and also to

enable the w h o l e fitting to be u n h o o k e d

a n d r e m o v e d for c lean ing and refi l l ing

with oil.

W h e r e the electric candle is n o w

w o u l d have been a c h i m n e y , to gi\'e a

g o o d draught for the flame, a n d also

the wick. T h e c h i m n e y w o u l d need

c leaning a n d the tubular wick w o u l d

n e e d t r imming. B e n e a t h the wick sleeve

is a flattened c u p which unscrews , the

c u p is per fora ted to a l low air to rise up

through the wick and the c u p also

catches the residue of oil that falls ofl"

the bot tom of the wick , this w o u l d also

need c leaning.

T h e cyl indrical reservoir tmscrews

a n d is inx erted to enable it to be filled

with oil; the reser\o i r is then closed o f f

using the small knob, which can just be

seen, under the reservoir to the left in

the p h o t o g r a p h . The reservoir is then

screwed back a n d reo j iened so that the

oil can trickle d o w n onto the two wicks

f r o m the horizontal arms. I he fitting

can then be p laced back on the hook.

'Panelled Room' by A . J . Warne Browne. This picture illustrates the use of both an argand lamp and a 'student's lamp"

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I 8 T I I C E N T U R Y

A large Adam period cut glass chandelier

A magnificent and \ ery rare Adam period cut glass chandelier of the finest quality and proportions, the baluster stem with central urn with ormolu band, surmounted by a canopy hung with swags and pear drops, the base of the stem also banded with ormolu and supporting eight scrolling candle arms with star pans and van Dyck nozzles, interspersed with eight sinaller arms with spire finials, all hung with swags and pear drops, with a large pineapjile finial at the base.

English, circa 1770

Height: 71 in (180 cm) Width: 38 in (96 cm)

Large chandeliers became popular in assembly rooms, such as those in Bath and in the music rooms of great houses.

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I 8 T H C E N T U R Y

Carton pierre

Carton pierre, a French term, is a specific

process for making a type of what the

I^nglish call papier mache. Indeed there

is no English language term for items

made from pulped or moulded paper,

hi G e r m a n the term is das Papiermache.

Carton pierre is made f rom pulped