Wall light or sconce, one of a pair, of gilded wood, gilded composition and gilded iron, the design incorporating wheat ears.

A wall light or sconce, one of a pair, with two candle branches, of carved and gilded wood, gilded composition and gilded iron, in the form of a number of ears of wheat, held by ribbon bows. The sconce appears to hang from a gilded ribbon bow with a central flower patera, from which hangs a loose fold of 'cloth', knotted in the centre in the manner of a chandelier sleeve. At the base of this is a second, larger, ribbon bow, resting on and trailing below a horizontal giltwood bar, carved with vertical ribbing along its front face, which is serpentine in plan. The centre is marked with a flower-head patera. From behind the lower bow, five curving stalks of wheat fan out to either side of a central stalk, which rises almost the full height of the sconce. The stalks are made of gilded iron wire, with ears of gilded composition. The three central stalks are united, just above the central knot of the drapery, by a small circle of gilded wood, through which they are threaded. In front of these three, an additional, central stalk rises from the lower bow and bends forward, the top of the ear being just above the height of the disc. The lower part of the stalks, above and behind the lower bow, are hidden by three upright, lanceolate leaves, made of composition over wire armatures. The left leaf is looped and the right is shorter than the other two. The stalks of seven of the ears of wheat appear as a fan of gilded wires below the horizontal bar, between the ends of the lower ribbon bow. At either end of the bar, gilded wooden beads, set on the underside, form the anchor points for a central swag of husks, dropping to a central bead, with drops of husks to either side. From behind the lanceolate leaves rise two down-curving, S-shaped arms for the candle sconces. These are of gilded iron with composition ornament of foliage wrapping the arms. Each supports a plain, turned drip-pan of gilded wood and a candle socket of wood overlaid with gilded composition ornament of lotus leaves.

There are losses to the composition ornament, particularly on the PR candle arm (outer end) and the PL drop below the reeded base. Both candle sconces show losses. Most of this damage looks to be old but one damage to the PR candle sconce may be newer.

Bequest of Edward Hudson

Previously on loan to Museum of Costume and Textiles, Nottingham, ca.1980 - 2009.

Although the sconce was originally dated to 1780-1800, the presence of lotus leaves on the candle nozzles is more indicative of a date just after 1800

Lighting was a vital element of a fashionable interior. Before the advent of electric lighting at the end of the nineteenth century, rooms were only lit up to any degree for social occasions. Even relatively wealthy families accepted very low levels of light for everyday living. The success of a party might be measured by the number of candles used to light it. Chandeliers were generally found only in larger rooms. In smaller rooms sconces such as this kept candles within lighting reach. A mirror was often incorporated into the design, to multiply the light. This delicate small sconce was probably designed for a small parlour or boudoir. Its fine, open design could have been made at any time from 1780 to 1800 but the bold lotus leaf decoration of the candle nozzles was a motif that only came into fashion after 1800.

W.21-1937