Crystal Chandelier
For those who appreciate the chandelier, there may not be a more grand example of this icon of days gone by then the crystal chandelier. During the height of popularity and use of this hanging piece of art, there was no example more cherished or awe inspiring and reminiscent of nobility and the affluent than one adorned in crystals which split the candle light throughout the room it graced. If you were going to have the best and most sought after, you were going to have a crystal chandelier.
By the time electric lighting had overtaken its candlelit counterparts, there was none that defined grandeur more than it did. For many years, only the very rich could afford the crystal laden lighting fixtures. Because of this, they were always a lavish hope of those who loved the way it caused the light to dance across the room. Crystals were somewhat of a commodity in those days, and very hard to work with. This meant that getting the crystal to have the refractive qualities needed to produce the desired effect for a chandelier was quite costly. When it was discovered, sometime in the sixteen hundreds, that adding lead to the crystal made it easier to work with to attain the reflective qualities desired, the production of these lighting fixtures began to soar. As late as the eighteen thirties, phenomenal crystal chandelier works of art were still being created by top artisans of the day. Of course, after the cost became affordable for commoners they had already morphed into the electric models similar to what we see today. Many of the most amazing examples that remain from the candlelit era are in museums on display for the world to see. It is a window, a picture, into what life extravagances the affluent of the day could afford.
By this time the chandelier had become mostly a decorative piece as they were not really needed as a light source like they were when they lit the castle ballrooms of the elite. Even when unlit they are a pleasure to the visual senses. Today’s crystal chandeliers are as much for decoration as for light, although with the advances in crystal cutting technology they still produce wonderful effects when light is applied to the fixture.
Many of the modern day examples of this work of art have taken on a more contemporary look and feel. With unique crystal incarnations of inspiration we find an array of style available. Some of the modern choices will use crystal goblets or blown crystal in place of the old style diamond like faceted shapes in the past.
One thing that can be said for the crystal chandelier is for the connoisseur today there is no limit to the style choices with which he or she can excite the window to their soul.
