Antique Lighting - French lighting fixtures

The term French antique lighting fixtures covers a whole range of antique lighting that will add charm and style to any home. There are chandeliers, of course, but also sconces and table lamps.

Chandeliers, are the most impressive of these lighting fixtures, but they are also often the most expensive. They are mounted on the ceiling, which should be in proportion to the size of the chandelier. They usually hang from a sturdy cage, but this depends of the period, so some French chandeliers may have chains. There are a lage number of crystals on the stem and beneath the light bulbs. The stem is decorated with leaves, flowers or grapes. The construction of the fixture can be very heavy, it is therefore best to leave the installation to the professionals

The design influences of antique lighting fixtures such as sconces can be traced back centuries. In murano sconces craftsmen made use of numerous decorative elements taken from nature. Some antique sconces have a mirror installed behind the lighting fixture. This fixture may be richly decorated, creating a magnificent effect. There are also crystal sconces. Wooden sconces, like chandeliers, may be gilded, they can also be of cast bronze often from the 19th century, but in Louis XV style and often refitted for electricity.

French antique table lamps have two principal parts. The base is an important part and is usually made of wood, but some lamps have metal bases too. Making the base of the lamp was a very time-consuming process. It was turned into a beautiful shape and decorated with floral patterns. The other part of a French antique table lamp is the lampshade that is put around the light source to soften it. Lampshades were, and still are, usually made of cloth and are often embroidered for decorative effect. Before the 20th century the light source for these French table lamps was candles. Now, these antique lighting fixtures are often refitted for use with light bulbs.

There is no need to travel to France to find such antique lighting fixtures. You can now find them on the Internet and on auction sites that specialize in French antique lighting fixtures.

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