Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Hello my friends,

Those of you who know  the  music of Pink Floyd will undoubtedly recognise this song title. When I was working on this chandelier this song came by on the radio. Later I changed the radio network I was listening to and half an hour later the same song was played! I saw that as a 'sign' to use it as the title for this post. Not that diamonds are used here. Just glass beads.

I bought this chandelier a while back second hand. The price was good. But after a little while I regretted the purchase somewhat. Nothing wring with it. The lights work and the quality of the brass is  good. But I do not like the model of the central axis.

But what to do with it? Sell it? Throw it away? Put it in a box or drawer and forget it? I did the last, dear reader. But I did not forget it. A year ago I saw a great crystal adorned chandelier on the stand of Nalladris in Arnhem. It was a brass chandelier on which they had added crystals to enhance it. 

That gave me the idea for this chandelier. Nalladris does not give a workshop on 'crystalizing' chandeliers. But Sun of Nalladris offered me to come up to them with the chandelier. Then she would show me how she does it. I could practice on my chandelier and acquire all the beads and materials needed to 'crystalise' my chandelier.

I got this far on a very fun day with Sun in her atelier. I have learned quite a few things from her and am very grateful for that. However it was only half finished.

Before the 2nd half of the 19th century and the advent of gas lights and electricity. Candle lighting was expensive. Chandeliers, even small ones simply were not used in secondary rooms. Even in the grandest of houses. The upper floors of country houses were seldomly lit up. When going to bed people in a grand house one took a lit candle  up to their bedroom. Until the advent of electric lighting large parts of those houses remained dark from dusk till dawn. Up and into 1806 chandeliers were mainly/only used in reception rooms like the diningroom, the salon, and the ballrooom. The rooms that were meant to look imposing and impressive. In secondary rooms candlesticks and wall sconces were the only light source, apart from the fireplace if a fire was lit.

So dollshouse with period interiors and glaring chandeliers up and into the coridors? Beautiful and impressive in most cases but not historically correct. However that should not stop any miniaturist using them where they want, but me! 

Back at home the project lay dormant for a while. I did not have a good stand to hang it from while working on it. When I found one on Amazon and ordered it, it was time to work on the chandelier again. 

The technique is quite simple. It is in fact not much more than stringing faceted glass beads in the right order and attach these strings in the right places. At the end of the first day I had finished garlands between all 16 candle holders. In the middle of each garland hangs a pendant consisting of a pear shaped bead, a round bead, and a thin floral brass bead on a thin brass coloured needle.

Next I hung similar pendants, only having 2 more round glass beads directly from the candle holders. Then I stringed beads ranging from small to larger between the arms of the chandelier. Starting from a lower arm to an upper arm and back to a lower arm. And so on, and so on. 

After that had finished, the chandelier was quite staurated with crystal garlands and oendants. And the bottom of the chandelier has the biggest tear dropped crystal. I am really pleased with the result. 

Now it is time for that all to familiar adage. "Now I only have to build the room this chandelier will go in."

Well, that is it for now. See you next time!

Huibrecht