Crystal Chandelier


Collectibles -> Lamps, Lighting -> Ceiling Fixtures

The crystal chandelier got its start in the 1600s in England, when the use of lead glass became common and even popular. Originally used in medieval abbeys and churches to light up the cavernous rooms, the chandelier started out as a wooden cross with spikes at the ends which held candles. The very word “chandelier” is from the French world candle, and means candleholder. Where the chandelier differs from other types of ancient candleholding devices is its location, suspended from the ceiling, usually in the middle of large rooms.

Aside from being a way to light up a room after dark in the years of pre-electricity, the chandelier has its place in our history in a more important way. Galileo Galilei actually discovered the law of the pendulum after watching a suspended lamp swing in the Pisa Cathedral and he realized that each swing took the same amount of time, even though it was shorter than the one before it. Of course, it wasn’t a crystal chandelier that prompted this discovery, but it wasn’t long after the first uses of chandeliers in medieval churches that the direct forerunner of the modern electric crystal chandelier was created.

Leaded glass, otherwise known as stained glass, became a common material for use in places like cathedrals in England in the 1600s. The lead made the glass more refractive, and added sparkle. Rock crystal was actually fairly rare at the time and often during cutting the quartz would break or crumble, ruining its light-refracting properties. So achieving that same sparkle from true crystal proved difficult. The addition of lead oxide softened the glass and made it easier to cut, make the glass crystals sparkle brilliantly. The dozens of pieces of glass in a crystal chandelier of that period would reflect the many candles used for illumination, and eventually became a common fixture in the homes of the wealthy and the upper classes.

In the 1700s, crystal chandeliers became longer and more ornate, and were in demand as luxury objects for the wealthy. The styles became more elaborate, as the crystal chandelier became almost a status symbol rather than a functional way to light up your home or palace. The drip pans below each candle were often made in the shape of bells or flowers, and the arms became more intricate, often in the style of a Grecian urn. While less wealthy households often used chandeliers for lighting, theirs were typically made of things like wood, metal or even tin.

As electric lighting became standard, the charm of the crystal chandelier began to lie in how it looked unlit, as a purely decorative piece. When it comes to chandeliers or any crystal items, Daniel Swarovski’s work is a highly sought after item. In the late 19th century he patented his machine that cut glass and jewelry perfectly. Those looking for a vintage crystal chandelier in online auctions often search first for Swarovskis, which are valuable and still sought out 50 years after his death.

Photo Credits: smoorenburg

Originally posted 2008-10-21 05:00:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • blog traffic exchangeTapestries Collectibles -> Linens, Fabric & Textiles -> Tapestries Tapestries are more than just beautiful wall hangings, they're woven art that served to tell stories in ancient times. The Odyssey and the Iliad were both “told” in woven form as large, rich tapestries. Every period in history has had major events......
  • etGuide to Collecting Promotional Glasses There are a wide variety of different promotional glasses out there, both modern and retro in nature, that feature sports figures, colorful advertising and a plethora of different characters from television shows, cartoons, movies, comic books and comic strips. These promotional glasses are excellent for bringing back fond memories of......
  • Fountain PenFountain Pen Collectables -> Pens-and-Writing-Instruments -> Pens You can walk into almost any store today and purchase a fountain pen. Technically, the modern ballpoint pen is a fountain pen, at least by definition. But the type of fountain pen most people think of is a vintage pen that's refillable and has......
  • weddingshotglassesPersonalized Shot Glasses Collectibles -> Barware -> Shot Glasses For the person who has everything, personalized gifts can be some of the most thoughtful, so why not choose personalized shot glasses? There are many advantages to this type of collectible item, both as a gift, and as something you collect yourself. Personalized shot......
  • Barbie Dream HouseBarbie Dream House Dolls-and-Bears -> Barbie-Vintage-Pre-1973 -> Structures-and-Furniture The first Barbie Dream House was introduced in 1960, and could fold up into a small box that was easily carried around by a little girl. Ponytail Barbie, the Barbie whose hair was pulled back into a ponytail with short bangs in front, wanted nothing......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • triathlonFinding the Beginner Triathlon Right for You As more people discover the triathlon, there is more pressure to create easier competitions. One of the events which are becoming more common is the beginner triathlon. Quite often this is an event which is held at the same time as other more intense races. This creates unique opportunities which......
  • blog traffic exchangeBen Hogans’ Five Lessons by Ben Hogan If you have ever wished you could afford a true professional trainer, but that’s a little out of reach, there is a lot to be said for reading books written by a pro. While this doesn’t give you the exact same benefit of learning in person, you can still pick......
  • antiquephotographyCollecting Antique Photography It may be difficult for you to understand why anyone would want to give away or to sell their family photographs, but just as there are people that are willing to sell their family photography, there are also people out there who are interested in buying up these old antique......
  • This is not the actual music for Fun Facts about New Year's "Auld Lang Syne" was written by Robert Burns in 1741 and literally means "old long since," or "days gone by." This song is traditionally sung in many countries at midnight, January 1st, signaling the beginning of the New Year. "Syne" is pronounced like the word "sign," not "zyne." Some cultures......
  • accordionAccordion 101 The accordion is closely related to another instrument, the concertina. Both of these instruments are essentially glorified mouth organs that utilize reeds that are generally made out of tempered steel. These tempered steel reeds are set in vibration using a rectangular shaped bellows. The bellows are operated using the left......
Online Stores Online Stores

1920 Flapper Dress


Collectables -> Textiles, Linens

The 1920 flapper dress is commonly referred to as just a flapper, but the word flapper actually refers to much more than the garment itself, it refers to the entire sensibility of the era in the 1920s. Flapper actually referred to the women themselves, with their short skirts and dresses, their bobbed hairstyles, their love of Jazz and willingness to buck convention. Flappers were the rebels and the punk rockers of the 1920s, so to speak, looked down upon for their heavy makeup, drinking, their more-relaxed sexual lifestyles, smoking, driving and basically breaking out of the stereotypical woman’s role that had dominated society for years.

Flappers were the forerunner of the modern woman, refusing to do what society expected of them, and actually acting in a directly contradictory way, simply because they could. The 1920 flapper dress was just one part of that entire era, but one of the most recognizable symbols of it still today. Social and political change is common after a war, and the flappers era was no exception, coming on the heels of World War I and timed with the popularity of American Jazz culture reaching as far Europe.

The term flapper first appeared in a 1920 film called The Flapper. F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the popular writers who helped define and popularize the flapper lifestyle, with his character Daisy and her friends often wearing a 1920 flapper dress and living the carefree flapper lifestyle as they did, and soon flappers were viewed as independent, reckless and desirable. Dorothy Parker, another popular writer from that era, was a staunch critic of flappers, calling it a fad and writing poetry to poke fun at it.

The word flapper had many uses prior to 1920. It was used as early as 1912 in the UK. Until 1920 or so it was also actually a term for a teenage girl or young woman. But with the 1920 flapper dress the popularity of the flapper lifestyle, the term took on that meaning alone. Jazz clubs were often filled with dancing, drinking, cocaine-sniffing and smoking flappers who dated with abandon. Cocaine use was legal then, but drinking alcohol was not as Prohibition was in effect, but they flew in the face of convention and the law and drank openly. Petting parties became common again. Some of the popular dances shocked older generations, like the Charleston and the Shimmy. But flappers didn’t just have fun to show rebellion, they worked outside the home and paved the way for the modern woman by voting and demanding their rights. The lifestyle couldn’t last once the Great Depression hit, and America took a much more conservative turn. A 1920 flapper dress is a great keepsake of that era, whether for its style and freedom, or its importance in the women’s movement.

An authentic 1920 flapper dress found on eBay can range in price from a couple hundred dollars to well over one-thousand or more, depending on the style and condition, and whether it’s associated with a famous figure from that era.

Photo Credits: berriehol

Originally posted 2008-11-02 05:00:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • Collectible Pocket KnivesCollectible Pocket Knives Collectibles -> Advertising -> Agriculture -> Pocket Knives Out of all of the advertising related collectibles on the market at the current time, some of the most popular are agriculture related collectible pocket knives. These collectibles hearken back to a simpler time and collectors snap them up in droves. Many......
  •  Thomas Kinkade Thomas Kinkade Collectables -> Collectibles -> Disneyana Thomas Kinkade is a living, American artist whose work is so popular today that many people have no idea they even have Thomas Kinkade artwork in their homes in some form or another. There seems to be no middle ground when it comes his......
  • pezdispensersCollectible Pez Dispensers 101 There are a number of collectible Pez dispensers out there, including modern collectible Pez dispensers and vintage collectible Pez dispensers alike. Most of the Pez dispensers that were made after the year 1987 have small plastic lips on the bottom of the stem that act as feet, and these were......
  • BakeliteBakelite Collectibles -> Vintage-Retro-Mid-Century -> Bakelite Most of us have heard the term Bakelite, even if we’re not entirely sure what it means. When we think of Bakelite we often think of plastic, as they seem to go hand in hand. But Bakelite is a type of plastic, most often used......
  • Lladro CollectiblesLladro Collectibles Collectibles -> Decorative Collectibles -> Lladro-> Figurines When you look at the beauty and grace that is customary with Lladro collectibles, it’s hard to believe that the company originally specialized in jugs and basic kitchenware. It wasn’t until the mid 1950’s that the three original founders of the company, who......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • jerseySports Memorabilia Collecting 101 Before you jump into the world of sports memorabilia collecting, there is some basic information that you should be well aware of. First and foremost, you should have an understanding of certain terms that are common when it comes to sports memorabilia collecting. For example: Photos, jerseys, cards and related......
  • coindracmasCoin Collecting: The Hunt for the Coin The biggest thrill of coin collecting comes in the form of the actual hunt and chase for the coin itself. There are plenty of coin collectors who thrive on the thrill of the chase, spending hours upon hours looking for one particular coin. There is plenty of excitement and joy......
  • foreignbillsHow to Be Successful at Collecting Old Paper Money There are plenty of currency collectors who focus in on coin collecting and fail to think about collecting old paper money. This is incredibly unfortunate, as paper money can be one of the more interesting collections to have. Paper currency helps to bring about interest and variety to a collection.......
  • papermoneyThe Benefits of Children Collecting Old Money There are plenty of different hobbies that children can get into when they are younger, hobbies that have varying ranges of both cost and benefits. Children can collect cards of their favorite animated characters or of their favorite sports stars. They can collect stamps, and they can even collect old......
  • toiletToilet Troubleshooting In homes, the most common type of toilet is one that consists of a tank and a bowl, be they a single piece, or separate tank and bowl. These are not the only toilets however. Some toilets instead of having a tank, use a exposed flushing mechanism that is often......
Online Stores Online Stores

Email Updates

1920s antiques barbie dolls best places bottle of wine certificate of authenticity chardonnay Collectible Bottles Collectibles collections country of origin craftsmanship Decorative Arts Decorative Collectibles different kinds ebay Figurines flea market flea markets garage sales glass collectibles limited editions love mint condition money older models online auctions personal collection popular items popularity porcelain private collections red wines rugs sentimental value shape special editions time period varietals vogue white wines wine bottles wine cellar wine collection wines