Topic: Sowerby frogs being used as light fittings by Thorn

[bungie60]

Bit of a mystery saw this on ebay WHITEFRIARS ? VINTAGE LIGHT FITTING GLASS SHADE Item number: 200740929144
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200740929144&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123
Believed to be from a Thorn P1 fitting that used glass shades made by Whitefriars....this shade is a Salmon pink colour ..height 7cm and width 11cm...it would have had a chrome cylinder that fixed to top of shade with clips to hold shade...cannot confirm that this is Whitefriars
Contacted the vendor and told him it was a flower frog made by Sowerby. Had a nice reply as follows. hi ..Many thanks for your info.....many years ago I worked on the exhibitions and we used to do a lot of work for Thorn(Atlas) installing there fittings....one of there light fittings used to have a glass the same as this....think they did around 8 colours...perhaps now all those shades are being used for flower holders...thanks again ..kind regards. So could any of you old Sowerby workers throw any light on this excuse the pun. All the best Mark

[Lustrousstone]

Looks like a Sowerby flower holder to me...

[bungie60]

I am totally convinced it is a flower holder but when you get somebody who says they used them in the 60's as light fittings supplied by Thorn (Atlas) it just makes you wonder whether they were bought then adapted by some enterprising engineer ?. I personally could imagine the light effect they would give out. Plus Thorn lighting being located in the North East

[vidrioguapo]

Original and genuine Whitefriars shades for the Thorn light fittings had a ridge at the top for the internal claws to grip the shade so it would not fall out.  This item has nothing of the kind so looks impossible for it to be a shade for that kind of fitting.

[bungie60]

Nice reply from gentleman Quote thanks a lot..seem to remember a ring that fitted inside the glass with the clips that fitted on internal cylinder 3 studs...the lamp was a mushroom type that fitted up in the cylinder this gave a down light to edge of glass.....still thanks again for all your info..say we was fitting thorn fittings on the light shows back in the 1960's..so might be just having a senior day and mind playing tricks..kind regards
So i think we can put this one to bed as they say