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Crystal & Oil Illuminations / J Defries & Pains Fireworks

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flying free:
I wonder if the buttons came from Bohemia.
If so you could try contacting one of the factories there.  I'll have a think about who is still making these.
I have two chandeliers also made with strung crystal buttons which I think are French 'manufactured' i.e. put together with the metal parts, but in my opinion it's possible the 'buttons' were made in Bohemia.  Oh and they are small but extremely heavy as well.  The crystal buttons weigh a ton when used together.

Preciosa does pressed parts it seems and so I don't know if they would be able to supply, but they may be worth contacting to see if they can recommend another maker in Czech Republic who could make and supply the coloured buttons:
https://www.preciosa-ornela.com/chandelier-parts

flying free:
In addition to my reply above :)
I'm curious to know, are the buttons 'hooked' together in string with a hole at each side as my chandelier is?
Or are they hollow threaded like a necklace bead would be and threaded onto the wires that way?
Or ... are they inserted into a wire mesh backing?

It's hard to tell from your photograph and I'm just curious really - not very helpful to your cause :)

pjm699:
Thankyou for the Preciosa link, I will get on to them a bit later I think.

Our buttons are all two hole and are put onto a framework and then wired-on over the framework at the meeting point.
You can see the sad state of the attatchment wire in the image, and the framework wire as well.

The letters were made separately and then clipped on to the main framework as you can see in the corner of the image.

They have then been filled around with the clear buttons (which I guess makes sense from a manufacturing point of view - especially if they are for a single event and then back into the stores).

Ekimp:

--- Quote from: pjm699 on January 16, 2025, 02:34:44 PM ---The wire holding all the crystals on is galvanised steel but very thin and the galvanising has worn away and some of the wire is disintegrating (due to damp) so some of the fixing wire is going to need replacing. Everything is mounted on a thick steel wire galvanised frame which is also rusting in places so we are going to have to take off crystals to treat the rust, push out some dents to the wire frame and replace the crystals (probably with brass wire this time).

--- End quote ---

Hi, that’s quite a project. The way the beads are attached with twisted wire looks quite neat. If you are not aware, you can get special pliers to twist the wires together like that. If you search for “wire locking pliers” you will find examples. Used in the aircraft industry, the pliers grip the wires, then you pull a knob which rotate the pliers, twisting the wires neatly together. The pliers might be useful if you are having to reattach the beads, also possibly the stainless steel wire.

flying free:
They are the same as my chandelier buttons and attach in exactly the same way holes either side.  My chandelier buttons have a little metal hooked and tip wire, a bit fiddly to attach the little metal hooks but not that difficult. I'm assuming they aren't huge as each button of mine are about 2cm diameter I think (from memory, haven't stood on a chair to measure them). They are attached together in long rows dropping down from a circlet which are all then draped onto a bottom central circle plate with holes in to attach the little metal hook.
Also old, I think dating to mid (maybe?) to late 1800s. Maybe even into early 1900s

So I do believe yours are from a chandelier button/droplet maker.

Preciosa may be able to put you onto a crystal maker who might have been in operation during the 1800s maybe. 

I used old original buttons on sale on ebay for my tiny replacements.  Chandelier drops are often on sale in big quantities on ebay. Obviously I'm  assuming your buttons are chandelier sized rather than gigantic :)
Oh and I clean mine with a microfibre cloth with a teeny bit of fairy liquid on it wiped over whilst supporting them with my hand. Then rinse them with clean microfibre cloth just wrung out in warm water.  Not sure this is the conservation method of the National Trust  ;D but it works for me.

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