Topic: The word "Foreign" on antique UK glass, can it be dated?

[Frank]

Presumably the fifth was Wheatstone? His contribution was not directly related to the lightbulb - except that without it it would have taken a lot longer to realise that creating light would have a relationship to materials.

I did not know about that frieze nor the gorgeous chandelier. The use of shades was unusual that early, as the lightbulbs themselves were what people wondered at. Perhaps the shades were added later?

[krsilber]

That is one amazing chandelier!  For some reason I especially like the huge metal chain it's hanging from, though of course the rest is awfully impressive.  I was struck by the shades, too, though not for the same reason.  Seems like bare bulbs would illuminate the winged nymphs better (egads, they can't be angels if they're shamelessly baring their bosoms, can they? :angel: ).  And the shades just look new.  Someone go set 'em straight!  We want historical accuracy!

I'm reminded again and again on this board how short the "civilized" (rotten word for it) history of the Minnesota is compared to that of Europe.  Around here a really old house is one that was built in the 1880s.

[Alastair]

I'm not sure about those shades now.

I looked at the photo in my architectural guide to Sheffield (don't laugh) and the shades aren't there, no wires, no lighting just the bulbs around the globe. In the text it says "each winged figure originally held a lamp, symbolically lighting the four corners of the world". So I have no idea if the shades are there or not now and what the original design was. I'll look into this and take another look at the chandelier, or "Electrolier" as they call it.

[Alastair]

I asked on another forum and someone uploaded a photo of the Electrolier from the official program from 1897.

Here it is showing the lampshades to be original -

[krsilber]

That's a great image.  Puts it more in perspective.  What a great piece of history, and a nice bit of luck that someone had the old program!

[Frank]

Also very useful image as far as the history of shades too.

[Alastair]

There's a story about the opening of the Town Hall in 1897. The building was opened by Queen Victoria, using a remote control lock from her carriage. She was old and infirm and remained in her carriage for the entire opening. The turning of the key in the lock triggered a light in the building which was the signal for three concealed men to open the gates. The impression given was turning the key actually opened the door by remote control.

[Sklounion]

Hi,
Prior to the emergence of the light-bulb, electrical lighting was acheived mainly using the arch-light, later arc light, again a Davy invention. Certainly one of the earliest users of this system was Sir William? Armstrong's house "Cragside", in Northumberland, which is widely thought also to be the first house in the world to be powered by hydro-electricity. It is noted that the house boasted the use of light-bulbs from 1880.
Regards,
Marcus

[Frank]

Not quite, I suspect the first domestic lighting would have happened in France, but never been able to trace that. Just possibly they also beat Davy to the first public demonstration of electric light in 1801 (a Louis Jacques de Thenard) - but again not documented in English. The French were the first to develop electric power and lighting commercially. The earliest documented domestic use in 'English':

However Moses G. Farmer of Salem, Mass. USA, who produced an important dynamo design, had lit a room in his house with similar (platinum filament) lamps as early as 1858 for a period of several months.

Limelight was used commercially before the Arc lamp. The arc lamp continued in use until c1960 but was never practical for dometsic use.

[krsilber]

But limelight was not an electrical technology, not directly, anyway.  Was electricity necessary to separate hydrogen and oxygen?  Chemistry was always a tough subject for me, and I remember very little of it.