The enduring appeal of glass chandeliers

Chandeliers are vulnerable once off the ceiling, and a short trip in a bouncing van to auction is often enough to produce glass cornflakes from an aged light fixture, says Kya de Longchamps.

ROMANTIC, impressive and champions of light play, it’s easy to see why glass chandeliers have remained a popular choice as a pendant light fitting.

The term covers a huge array of designs, from shrubby glass classics of the Regency era, right through to the chrome-plated sculptural styling of the Art Deco period. Surviving favourites include Dutch frames dominated by their metal skeleton, majestic crown style faceted ‘coronas’ of glass, and ‘bags’ of beaded strings and graduated drops forming voluminous draped skirts nipped at the waist.