Candle Lamps
Introduction
Like all the other Stourbridge glass manufacturers Henry Gething Richardson was approached by Samuel Clarke to create candle lamps that would accommodate his patented candle cup, marketed as a “Fairy Lamp“, for use with his own patented candle, marketed as a “Fairy Light“.
Looking at the design costs many refer to Clarke’s fitting but others accommodate different shaped cups, similar in design to the porcelain cups produced by Royal Worcester or Taylor Tunnicliffe, even though one is labelled “Clarke’s Lamp“; others appear not to require a cup.
Another cup, pattern 10177, has “S. Clarke’s Patent” noted on the drawing but is formed and has hand cutting details executed by William Adey. The use of this cup is shown in the photographs of patterns 10319 – 10321 & 3 and on pattern 10415. It seems to be used with flint lamps where perhaps the pressed glass Clarke cup would detract from the overall appearance.
Cut Crystal
Although, like the other Stourbridge factories, the majority of Richardson’s designs are for decorative art glass lamp configurations they also produced a range of cut lead crystal shades and epergnes. In addition to cut flint they also produced a number of single and double cased cut shades.
Some flint (crystal) shades were “frosted” (satinised) with white acid or sand blasting before being cut bright.
Double cased, cut candle lamp shade on cut stick. Probably pattern 02830.
Acid Etched and Cameo
In addition to cutting, acid etching and cameo carving were also employed as a means of cold decorating the shades and bases.
The acid etched or printed designs were executed by John Collins on flint or cased coloured glass.
Acid etching was also used on opal cased glass to produce cameo designs. Other cameo designs were hand carved with the aid of the engravers lathe. The carved cameo work is usually identified as the work of Charles Northwood and John Collins.
Acid cut cameo decorated shade on carved cameo base. Typical Richardson design.
Intaglio
The engraver’s lathe was also used for intaglio cut decoration on cased shades.
Cased opal on citron shade. Oriental inspired floral decoration. Citron opalescent crimped base on flint foot. Probably Richardson.
Decorative Art Glass
The range of decorative art glass designs is best appreciated by reviewing the galleries of patterns from their records that follow.
Waved Threading
One of the first designs, date 5/3/1886, is a ruby cased and opal waved shade. This design is exactly the same as that being produced by Stuart & Sons under the name Verre Moiré. The next shade is identical, but Peacock blue and opal waved. Both of these designs have the waves pulled to form a gadroons like found in curtains. They also produced a shade with an inverted gadroon design having the opal wave pulled into arches.
Coloured Canes
Richardson favoured the use of coloured canes placed vertically. The colours used were ruby, citron and turquoise the group being repeated four times round the shade; this was then treated with white acid to create a satin finish.
Another version incorporated opaque blue, turquoise, opaque citron and flint repeated four times round; each cane being satinised with white acid.
Pattern 10523 is a hanging basket with nine white flattened stripes round, it has ruby on one stripe, citron on another and turquoise the third this is then repeated three times round.
Cleveland
A variant with six stripes of white and six stripes of dark peacock blue was given the name “Cleveland”. They also produced Cleveland with citron or ruby canes. A variant of Cleveland incorporated flint canes on the margin of each colour and these were left bright.
A rainbow Cleveland is also recorded in pattern 12242 but there is no further explanation of the colours. It is assumed that it would involve different colours each separated by a white cane.
Tartan
Coloured canes were used to create a registered “Tartan” design, Rd.46498. This was created using the cupping method; a cup with coloured canes was made twisting the canes in one direction. A second cup with the same or different coloured canes was twisted in the opposite direction. The two cups were fused, one inside the other, to create the tartan design.
Moulded Designs
Richardson frequently used a large or fine diamond mould to create a surface decoration. Other moulds used created ribbed, stud, hobnail and large and fine diamond.
Pattern Books
The nomenclature “W.A.” is an abbreviation of White Acid that was used to create a satin finish. Abbreviations are often used and the full text as been substituted in the title block.
The following gallery of designs for candle lamp shades, commonly known as “Fairy Lamps“, has been compiled from the Henry Gething Richardson lamp shade pattern book M2 having the Dudley Archive Services nomenclature DTW_2_Y2_2. These records are dated 1886.
