Topic: Oslers of Birmingham , Crystal Chandeliers at Osborne House, Isle of Wight

[Andy]

Just a tip for anyone visiting the Isle of Wight , go to Osborne House, Queen Victoria and Alberts Holiday home.
Do the tour, and see many amazing sights.
My favourites were 2 floor standing Crystal Chandeliers by Oslers of Birmingham, commissioned by Prince Albert
in 1848 for Victoria. About 8 feet tall, sadly no photos allowed in the house! Dont know why, but ive found them here...
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/vanda/MicroObject.asp?object=41311&exid=260&themeid=1018
( you can magnify the image)

Oslers also made the amazing fountain at the great exhibition of 1851,
http://fritzfryer.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/osler-the-great-exhibition-crystal-fountains-and-chandeliers/

Stunning stuff, apparently they invented a technique of casing  metal inside the glass so they could create
these enormous crystal structures.

Cheers all
Andy

[David E]

Thanks for that Andy.

The company of Osler interests me as I have been researching the entire Birmingham glassmaking industry. The fountain at the Crystal Palace (created by two other Birmingham-based companies; Chance [glass] and Fox Henderson [cast-iron structure]) was an incredible affair, but sadly destroyed in the fire there at Sydenham in 1936.

A great shame that the company went to the wall, as its creations were absolutely stunning.

[Andy]

David,
I cant imagine anyone making something so spectacular today, or even having the skill to do it!
Cheers
Andy

[Frank]

One example of what was shown by them in Paris 1878



Image copyright and courtesy of the www.glass-study.com

[Andy]

Amazing, i expect the stand looks like solid crystal and you cant tell the metal is taking the weight.

[flying free]

I came across a written description in a publication dated Jan 24 1884 Truth.
It is someone's description of being in Osler and describing a glass chair / throne going out to Calcutta:
See page 138
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Truth/V2FY5RJgNLAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Chameleon+Glass&pg=PA138&printsec=frontcover

Birmingham Museums have these drawings:
https://dams.birminghammuseums.org.uk/asset-bank/action/browseItems?categoryId=1765&categoryTypeId=2&cachedCriteria=1

And lots of original drawings on Alamy here:
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/glass-furniture-design-osler.html?sortBy=relevant

and then found this chair (not the same as the 1884 description I don't think) sold by Christie's:
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6387469

m

[Frank]

Love those!