Introduction
It is Samuel Clarke’s name which will always be associated with decorative night lights, which he marketed as “Fairy” lamps.
The name Clarke was associated with night lights from the early Victorian era. George Miller Clarke took out a patent in 1844 for an improvement in night lights, and in 1857, Samuel Clarke took out a patent relating to this form of illumination. In 1885 Samuel took out a further patent having “invented certain new and useful Improvements in Candle Lamps and Chandeliers.”
Samuel was primarily a manufacturer of high grade candles, tapers, etc., and did not himself manufacture the glass and ceramic holders and their shade; he did, however, publicise the objects on a massive international scale.
The wax lights were made of pure, clear and steady burning wax, with none of the unpleasant odour of oil, or tallow candles. The double rush wick was made in such a manner that it parted in opposite directions as the wax slowly melted and so gave a large oval flame. The squat circular lights burned for various periods, ranging from four to eleven hours.
At first night lights were simple and utilitarian only. By 1886 Samuel Clarke had introduced decorative “Fairy” lamps and their use was extended from the illumination of nursery and bedroom to the enhancement of drawing and dining-rooms. A report of a fashionable dinner party in 1886 records the use of candle lamps as part of a table decoration:
…the new Fairy Lights, which are well named, for their effect is quite fairy-like. They are small lights, which are placed in the centre of a circular flower vase, and each is covered with a tinted glass shade, some opal, some pale rose, some of the tenderest of soft green.
The flower circle was filled with moss and ferns, with just two or three pink and yellow tulip heads in each. The softness of the light gave as added beauty to the flowers and ferns, and as the fairy lamps are quite low on the table, the effect was extremely becoming to the diners….
Candle lamps
For the introduction into the drawing and dining room environments decorative lamps with appropriate bases were required and Clarke turned to the Stourbridge glass factories to use their established skills in the production of art glass to come up with the designs.
The factory records do not use the terms night light or Fairy lamp preferring to use the term candle lamps.
Each factory developed their own styles and often registered designs in an attempt to protect their own output from copies. Details are provided under each individual factory.