1920s Huge French 6-Light Brushed Nickel Chandelier, Art Deco Tour De Force, Rare Opalescent Shades

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This magnificent Art Deco chandelier hangs low enough, at about 59 inches, to occupy an important place in a home … Read more This magnificent Art Deco chandelier hangs low enough, at about 59 inches, to occupy an important place in a home or large apartment building's entryway, or...

As you can see, a lot of chain can be removed. In fact, a capable electrician could relatively easily remove all the chain, and the canopy, and hang the fixture from the smaller "canopy" (in quotes because it wasn't intended as the actual canopy but a decorative element). When all the chain and the top canopy are removed, the remaining fixture is 31 inches top to bottom. Or, employ the original canopy and use just a link or two (or as many as you want) of chain. After all, if there's room enough to use the chain, look how beautifully designed it is! So you have lots of options. The diameter measures about 29 inches, each shade having a diameter of about 8 inches.

The superior design of this light fixture easily leads to the conclusion that this fixture is "one in a thousand." The "wing" motif is positively striking; the black patina, over a brushed nickel finish, accentuates that captivating design. You will note that every design element of the metal, from the canopy to the finial on the very bottom, coordinates.

The shades, which probably post-date the metal by as much as ten years, are "the very best" opalescent shades created by French masters of glass design and craftsmanship; you can look around the Web but you won't find any with this visual impact. They're positively arresting with the bulbs on or off. When the bulbs are lit, there's sparkle galore and notes (haha, "coffee talk") of gold in the thicker parts of the shades, the design element I'll call the spikes. Another feature of these shades is that they're uncommonly deep for such large (8" diameter) shades. Most French shades of this configuration are far flatter and allow the bulbs to be seen, an aspect which doesn't interest most people! You'll note that the opalescence of one of the shades is more pronounced than the other five, this being only noticeable upon close inspection. When the lights are on the contrast between that shade and the others lessens. The sixth picture shows the one with deeper opalescence in the front of the picture, the lesser in the back.

The metal is solid brass throughout, brush-nickel plated.

The fixture has been rewired and fitted with American candelabra sockets, each capable of employing a 60-watt bulb. See less