Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-14
ELECTRIC FIXTURES.
THEY ARE RAPIDLY DlSPLACING THE
GAS CHANDELIER.

Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars In
vested in Their Manufacture Tho
Greatest Taste Displayed in Their De-
sign and Make-A Growing Industry.
With the progress of interior electric
lighting and the gradual disappearance
of gas illumination in theatres, hotels
and private dwellings has come new
industry. 1t might almost be called an
art, or at least an ally of an art, for it
has engaged the attention of architects,
and has called forth some of the best
efforts of artistic designers.
This new industry is the manufacture
of electric light fixtures. Only two or
three years ago it was in its infancy.
Today it has reached an Importance al
most as great as electric lighting itself,
and has attracted millions in invest
ment. The gas chandelier is daily re-
ceding to give place to the electrolier,
and if the present rate of progress is
maintained the electrolier may be seen
in the dwellings of persons of very mod
crate means. 1t may be the climax in
the advance which made the candle and
the oil lamp give way to gas.
Until 1888 all the finer class of electric
light fixtures were imported chiefly
from France. American companies man.
ufactured class of plain goods which
failed to satisfy the wealthy, and were
too costly for others. All this is changed
now. The American architecture and
the American artist have taken up the
matter Of interior electric lighting, and
the electric light fittings have become a
part and parcel of architecture. The fit
tings are designed to suit the style of the
architecture, and they cover many pc
riods.
ART IN THE BUSINESS.
Some of these are the Romanesque,
the renaissance (French and Italian),
Louis XIV, Louis XIV, Louis XVI, the
Empire, Adams English style), Colo
NAL (American) and the Nineteenth CEN
tury revival of the renaissance in the
floral period The materials of the fit
tings are chiefly wrought iron, brass and
copper hammered.
Three or four million dollars are in
vested in the business. The American
companies, which used to manufacture
goods inferior to the French article, are
now consolidated, and many of the best
French designers are employed by them.
1t appears just now that the Americans
are little ahead of the French and En-
glish in this new art. But the American
people are far from being convinced Of
this yet. The Vanderbilts and many
other of the wealthy Fifth avenue fami-
lies have imported electric light fittings,
and will have no others. But it seems
to be only matter of few years more
when American art and American enter
prise will have overcome French and
English ascendency.
The fittings made today are as varied
in style and far more artistic than the
gas fixtures. They are considerably
more costly, too. The costliest ever
made was an electrolier, which now
hangs in the drawing room of James
Rothschild, of London. 1t cost $4,000.
1t is 28 inches in diameter, about feet
high, and is made of gilt bronze and rock
crystal. The design is of the Louis XVI
period. Sixty-eight electric lights hang
from the bronze leaves, and the mellow
diffusion of light is as remarkable as the
beautiful design.
SOME EXPENSIVE ONES.
The cost of nearly all the finer fittings
mount high up into the hundreds. One
of the prettiest is wrought iron lamp
with a dragon twisting itself around it
and flames in the form of electric lights
pouring from its mouth. There is one
of these lamps in the residence Of Will
lam G.. Whitney, ex-secretary of the
navy. Another is cupid holding a
lamp made of hammered copper. Ten
of these are in Mr.. Whitney's house.
One of the prettiest of the smaller fit
tings is bronze fly, from the mouth of
which light is pendant. These flies
are placed at irregular intervals on the
walls, and make curious and pretty
effect. Cupids holding cut glass balls,
with dropping lamps of bronze, and con-
tanning twenty-four lights, are among
the finest of recent productions. 4 One
recently made for Chicago millionaire
cost $4,000.
For small rooms the favorites are little
electroliers of gilt and white metal and
OA1ulZeu 5llVcI VI copper, Will IOSo IC-
Electors. The designs are numerous One
made of oxidized silver is boys face,
with light shining from the mouth. An
other of the same pattern has two lights
coming through the eyes.
Some of the three light fixtures are
highly artistic. One Of them, which is
seen in many Fifth avenue houses, has
one light on globe pendant from the
center, and the others at the arms, with
cut glass drops calculated to increase the
brilhancy of the reflection.
To fit up a large private house in the
latest styles of electric lighting costs
from SIS, 5000 to $50, 900, exclusive of the
plant. Of course handsome fittings can
be had for one-fourth of that amount,
but those who want the 'tthe latest" have
to pay extremely fancy prices. Chicago
Daily News.
The Browning Society Still Lives.