The wall lights will definitely be electric. Gas would be far too much hassle and probably not even legal in its original design. I do nevertheless want it to look as visually authentic as possible or at least as authentic as electric lighting will allow. My understanding is that reproduction 'down pointing' gas mantel lights (originals designed in 1897) would not be consistent with the original gas installation in this building which to the best of my knowledge would have been around 1880.This pre 1897 installation suggests upward pointing lights
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Where can I find some old gas lamp wall fittings
- Thread starter michael
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Nemesis
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Yet it may have been updated later to downlighting.
I would try both - you may not care for the effect of uplighters, which can highlight things and cast strong shadows.
Have you identified when a gasworks was built?
I would try both - you may not care for the effect of uplighters, which can highlight things and cast strong shadows.
Have you identified when a gasworks was built?
Lime
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My observations concerning gas is that surface pipes were much more likely to be found in the servants quarters, kitchen etc.
Also the main coal gas supply pipe (usually made of lead) in the house was run at an angled slope under the floor that allowed for any condensation (common with coal gas) to run back to a trap at the metering point.
Gas, like all the other forms of lighting, evolved over the years so most houses would have had a mixture of fittings.
Gas would have been used alongside candles and oil lamps and later electric light.
Apart from wall and ceiling gas lights there were floor standing (standard) lights too.
If a house had no town coal gasworks supply it was common for acetylene to be used.
Self-contained acetylene lamps were made as were acetylene generators feeding gas into the house using calcium carbide (a solid) and water.
This gas burns in air and in the correct proportions produces a bright white flame, 15 times brighter than coal gas and 5 times brighter than petroleum gas.
(Mixed with even more air and directed upon limestone it produces limelight, an intensly bright light.)
with too little air soot is formed.
Several different petroleum gases were used for lighting too.
From my memory as a child just after the war the coal gas wall lights were still common in many homes and some were very fancy indeed.
I have in my house (1906) an original art nouveau wall light with shade that has decoration hanging from the swan neck.
Many fancy gas wall lights were converted to electricity in the 50s and 60s but appear to have been mostly lost now.
The ordinary plain swan neck are still to be found in some houses as they obviously did not have the attraction of the more fancy.
Also the main coal gas supply pipe (usually made of lead) in the house was run at an angled slope under the floor that allowed for any condensation (common with coal gas) to run back to a trap at the metering point.
Gas, like all the other forms of lighting, evolved over the years so most houses would have had a mixture of fittings.
Gas would have been used alongside candles and oil lamps and later electric light.
Apart from wall and ceiling gas lights there were floor standing (standard) lights too.
If a house had no town coal gasworks supply it was common for acetylene to be used.
Self-contained acetylene lamps were made as were acetylene generators feeding gas into the house using calcium carbide (a solid) and water.
This gas burns in air and in the correct proportions produces a bright white flame, 15 times brighter than coal gas and 5 times brighter than petroleum gas.
(Mixed with even more air and directed upon limestone it produces limelight, an intensly bright light.)
with too little air soot is formed.
Several different petroleum gases were used for lighting too.
From my memory as a child just after the war the coal gas wall lights were still common in many homes and some were very fancy indeed.
I have in my house (1906) an original art nouveau wall light with shade that has decoration hanging from the swan neck.
Many fancy gas wall lights were converted to electricity in the 50s and 60s but appear to have been mostly lost now.
The ordinary plain swan neck are still to be found in some houses as they obviously did not have the attraction of the more fancy.