ABOUT THE BUILDING STYLE:
Proposed historic styled themed American Edwardian lighting fixtures to match existing
early 20th century architecture pictured at the upper right animation that presents photos
of the predominating elements. Black & white details prodominate in staff
plasterwork, geometric tile and original hand forged mezzanine and staircase
railings.
Careful research was done to find an appropriate family of selected glass globes for the
fixtures. These were chosen because they matched the architecture, period and
additionally, were available in more than one size and functional style, allowing the
client to replace the other fixture(s - 45 units) glass with a style appropriate to
the architecture in a more cost effective manner.
ABOUT THE PROJECT: The lighting fixtures are computer fabricated using primarily
.25" A-36 laser cut steel from the artist .dxf programming files in nested
manufacturing layouts. Various components were machined. Overriding intent of the artist,
was to create appropriate fixtures that might have existed from the period of original
construction over 80 years ago, complimenting the current owners effort to restore and
maintain the building accurate to the period as much as is possible. Price for
4 fixtures was $4,000, purchased in pairs. The first pair were $1,150 each.
The latter pair were $850 each, not including installation by the client's
electrician. The higher cost of the original pair reflect research,
programming & prototyping expense. Visit the studio's earliers lighting
commissions at UCLA & Loyola Marymount University.
ABOUT THE DESIGN & CUSTOM COMPONENTS:
The rendering is an accurate scale of lighting & globe (uppeer left), including
showing a similar member of the same family of glass to be used throughout the
building. The obscured glass globes (either milk or acid etched) were typically used
on the earliest electrical fixtures. Modern "softwhite" electrical bulbs were
not introduced until 1923, so white glass globes were typically used to encase the harsh
clear
glass bulbs.
THE GLOBES: The selected glass globes for the fixtures were design integrated into
the fixtures. The selected globes contain garlands, raised lozenge panels & scrolled
capital divisions with a bead design that circles the upper portion. They were
available in 6 different sizes & models to satisfy the overall needs of the
client. The globes are a acid etched milk glass hand blown in original French
molds available from Rejuvenation in Portland, OR. The obscured glass globes (either milk
or acid etched) were typically used on the earliest electrical fixtures. Softwhite
electrical bulbs were not introduced until 1923, so white glass globes were used to encase
the harsh clear glass bulbs. The globes contain a U.L. approved porcelain socket
that tidely fits a high wattage bulb with a stainless mesh for both ventilation and insect
protection.
THE FITTER:
The collar fitter is based on a verbal description by a European architect / engineer
friend of an earlier & simple idea used by Phillips in Europe during the same
era. It utilizes a machined hinge versus the more modern spun metal fitters
with 3 or 4 set screws. The result is an iron ''crown'' that serves both the functional
need and aesthetic match to the period.
THE CEILING MEDALLION: Created as a composite of laminations of steel, all of
theses separate elements are integrated into the ceiling medallion so that a visitor to
the building when looking up in the staircases, sees both the globe design and medallion
which are similar. Horizontal views from the staircase amplify the visuals of the
forged scrollwork.
THE HANGING MECHANISM: The non-scroll chain elements were inspired by two sources
and are original to the fixture. Edwin Luytens, the British architect, created an elegant
marble mantel for the Midland Bank in Poultry, England. Featured on pages 148 - 149
in Sir Edwin Luytens, Designing in the English Tradition, by Elizabeth
Wilhide ISBN 0-8109-4080-9, it presented an idea for elongated
acanthus leaves with a scroll to harmonize with the molded plasterwork & forged
scrolls that predominate in the Arcade building. For those with an interest in classically
themed architecture at the turn of the 20th century that is neither arts & crafts,
victorian or art deco, the book offers an excellent alternate study on well executed
architecture & interiors from that era.
The remaining elements of 's' chain have a slightly gothic flair based on a taste idea by
the client. The studio's custom 's' gothic chain components are available for exclusive
retail purchase through Liz's Antique Hardware on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.
iron
lighting hanging iron pendant lighting traditional iron lighting traditional iron
chandelier architectural iron lighting forged iron lighting edwardian iron chandelier
lighting etched glass hanging victorian lighting molded milk glass lighting lighting
fixtures restoration iron lighting fixtures rejuvenation lighting components rejuvenation
molded milk glass iron lobby lighting fixtures iron foyer lighting entry iron
architectural lighting cad cam iron lighting fixtures artist iron lighting fixtures custom
iron lighting components custom artist architectural lighting lighting pictures lighting
images edwardian architecture los angeles lighting artists san pedro lighting artists
Edwin Luytens inspired lighting fixtures
