Antique and Vintage Chandeliers

We are a part of eBay Affiliate Network, and if you make a purchase through the links on our site we earn affiliate commission.
All chandeliers are hanging lamps, but are all hanging lamps chandeliers? Definitely not. Chandeliers take their name from the French word "chandelle," which means "candle" in English, while the English translation of the French word "chandelier"...
Continue reading
All chandeliers are hanging lamps, but are all hanging lamps chandeliers? Definitely not. Chandeliers take their name from the French word "chandelle," which means "candle" in English, while the English translation of the French word "chandelier" is "candlestick." Because burning candles need room to combust, lest they melt one another due to close proximity, chandeliers illuminated by candle power developed arms and tiers so that many candles at once could burn safely and brilliantly. At first, the armatures holding candles or jars of oil fitted with wicks were spartan and simple in design, often consisting of nothing more than two pieces of wood secured at their junction, with a burning light source at each of the suspended structure's four ends. Then came the polycandelon, which is thought to be a product of the Byzantine Empire, gaining widespread acceptance in the 6th century. Though the designs of polycandelons varied, they generally featured a flat metal surface, often made of iron or a copper alloy, that was suspended by three metal chains for stability. In some cases, metal cups for oil were built onto the surface of the polycandelon, but many of these prototypical chandeliers featured openings in their horizontal surface designed to safely cradle glass or metal containers of oil. Polycandelons of varying dimensions followed, typically hung in rows or groups, generating enough candle power to illuminate the interiors of large banquet halls and even churches. Then, sometime around the 11th century, Belgian brass artisans began to fashion fixtures that would appear very familiar to our modern ideal of a chandelier. These hanging candle holders, which were common by the 15h century and can be seen in paintings by Dutch Masters such as Jan Van Eyck and Gerrit Dou, were suspended from their bulbous middles and featured radiating, upturned arms, with a candle at each end. Soon, these brass fixtures were being gilded in silver and gold, the gilding...
Continue reading

Best of the Web

The Lamps of H. G. McFaddin
Bruce Bleier's tribute to the Emeralite and Bellova lampshades made from Czech glass and...
Gas Pressure Lanterns, Lamps and Stoves
Terry Marsh's beautiful showcase of gas-pressure lanterns, lamps, stoves, irons, and heaters...
The Lampworks
Lamp collector and dealer Dan Edminster has put together an incredible reference site on antique...
Texans Incorporated: The History of a Lamp Company
Mark Stevens has created an impressive living memorial to Texans Inc., a 20th century Texas...
Fairy Lamp Club
This incredible site is a stunning showcase for Victorian and contemporary fairy lamps, a style...
Most Watched

Best of the Web

The Lamps of H. G. McFaddin
Bruce Bleier's tribute to the Emeralite and Bellova lampshades made from Czech glass and...
Gas Pressure Lanterns, Lamps and Stoves
Terry Marsh's beautiful showcase of gas-pressure lanterns, lamps, stoves, irons, and heaters...
The Lampworks
Lamp collector and dealer Dan Edminster has put together an incredible reference site on antique...
Texans Incorporated: The History of a Lamp Company
Mark Stevens has created an impressive living memorial to Texans Inc., a 20th century Texas...
Fairy Lamp Club
This incredible site is a stunning showcase for Victorian and contemporary fairy lamps, a style...