April, 1 9 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



119 



Candelabra of the Renaissance period have been effectively employed in the lighting scheme 



Antiques Used as Lighting Fixtures 



By Robert H. Van Court 



IsplHE decorative value of antiques is appreci- used would be inadequate to our modern demand. This 

 ated now as never before and the treasures problem is often solved by the actual use of old lighting 

 of this kind, which we may be fortunate fixtures which have been re-fitted to serve a practical as 

 enough to possess, are often the most well as an ornamental purpose or by adapting to this pur- 

 precious of our household adornments. Our pose other objects not intended for this use. 

 taste in matters of domestic decoration is No one style of domestic architecture is so popular with 



broad and eclectic; we seize upon the 

 picturesque and beautiful of every age 

 and country and adapt it to our require- 

 ments and the fitting of these examples 

 of old craftsmanship into modern sur- 

 soundings sometimes produces very in- 

 teresting results. The tendency at pres- 

 ent is to plan our interiors so that one 

 period or style may be consistently fol- 

 lowed rather than to arrange together 

 many objects, all beautiful in them- 

 selves, but having very little in common. 

 This growing taste and discrimination 

 in planning effects has naturally in- 

 creased the demand for lighting fixtures 

 to agree with the decorations and fur- 

 nishings of the periods in which the 

 rooms are designed and sometimes ar- 

 rangements for artificial illumination 

 must be provided for situations where 

 such lighting was either not contem- 



us, perhaps, as what we call "Colonial" 

 and in homes of this character the old 

 furnishings of the period, which are still 

 often to be had, very naturally find a 

 place. Lighting fixtures of early Ameri- 

 can days were either candlesticks or oil 

 lamps and housekeepers of that period 

 seem to have placed unusual value upon 

 their girandoles, lamps and candlesticks 

 of various kinds which were of unusual 

 beauty and luxury for much of the best 

 designing and workmanship of the time 

 was upon lighting fitments for domestic 

 purposes. These old Colonial treasures 

 are being arranged for modern use and 

 some suggestions regarding their adapta- 

 tion to present day conditions may be 

 helpful. 



In placing these old-time lighting fix- 

 tures in our homes provision must be 

 made, of course, for altered conditions. 



plated or where such illumination as was Ceremonial lanterns used as lighting fixtures The source of artificial lighting in early 



