Craftsmanship

 

All of Period Lighting's fixtures are entirely handmade, from the drip on the wax coated candle covers to the hand-forged suspension hook that conceals the wire. The fixtures are made with many of the same hand tools of the original craftsmen who were intent upon investing their skills and artistry in a product whose quality approaches the outer limits of commercial practicality.

All chandeliers and sconces are electrified but can be made for candles. With few exceptions, the wires never show. Lanterns for outdoor lighting are made entirely of solid copper and are soldered the full length of every seam

There are several choices of finishes: hand rubbed pewter creates a dull medium to dark gray plated finish, aged tin turns to medium to dark rusted earth tones with distressed tin highlights under a dull oil finish, and other fixtures are painted with hand formulated colors topped by an amber paste glaze.

 


All exterior fixtures are made of heavy duty 16 oz. copper. Our Natural Copper finish has an "old penny" color. If you esteem the green verdigris look, you can order your lanterns in our Oxidized Copper finish. It is not a paint or wash, but rather an accelerated aging process that replicates the actual patina of old copper, such as often occurs on old buildings and churches. We have developed this finish over many years of trial and error. For more formal houses and buildings we recommend our Flat Black Finish without hesitation. Black does not introduce a competing color scheme to buildings painted white. It also is a good choice with masonry surfaces.

 

Our research has found that tin, wood, and iron were used almost exclusively in early American lighting. Silver, crystal, and glass were imported by only the very wealthy. Wood turned chandelier centers were usually painted while the arms were of tin and wire. We achieve the same effect by building up a painted finish on the turning and using our aged tin finish on the arms and bobeches. Our finishes will appear understated, but establish a comfortable and subtle relationship with your fixture's surroundings. Understatement diminishes the chandelier's size and avoids an obviously decorative look. The glazed colors we mix ourselves are compatible with the early American color selections of most of the leading paint companies. Our glazes and other proprietary techniques disguise forever the newly painted appearance and impart a mellow patina of several centuries of age.


~Check out our New Internet Specials!~

Next

Table of Contents
Home
Introduction
PLF Craftsmanship
Chandeliers
Sconces
Lanterns
Museum Reproductions
History of Lanterns
How to Order