{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O54756"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O54756/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AL2605/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AL2605/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AL2605","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O54756/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O54756","accessionNumber":"M.60-2000","objectType":"Chandelier","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"In 1895, Ashbee wrote an article, 'Suggestions for Electric Light Fittings', for the Art Journal. Besides imagining how the ancient Greeks would have designed electric lights - as the epitome of simplicity - he states that, as light falls, the best solution for fittings is high hanging lamps, in preference to low table lamps; (this contradicted those who advocated standard lamps, fearing that a hanging bulb would set light to the wire supporting it). He also approved of the shape of bulbs which looked like drops and therefore should be seen to hang. The hanging design was also restful: 'I prefer rest in a design, and feel disturbed when three naked bronze children coming rushing over the table with forty-eight candle-power hands full'. The exposed wires, to be covered in coloured silks, were to be very much part of the design. Ashbee also stressed the importance of a central rose, preferably made of embossed and enamelled metal sheet, to cover the porcelain ceiling box.\r\n\r\nIn the Art Journal article, Ashbee described this chandelier, designed for the drawing room of his house, the Magpie and Stump at 37 Cheyne Walk, as 'a rather elaborate arrangement of a nine-pendant rose.... Here, almost the whole effect of the design is got in the manipulation of the cords, and - a little detail in light designing that is so often forgotten - their arrangement is such as to cast pleasing and broken shadows on the ceiling. The nine-pendant circular rose in question spins a sort of grand spider-web upon white plaster'.\r\n\r\nCR Ashbee built the 'Magpie and Stump' for his mother , Mrs Elizabeth Ashbee at 37 Cheyne Walk in 1893. She moved in with her two younger daughters Agnes and Elsa in 1894. It was named after a pub, the Magpie and Stump Inn which had stood on the site since the sixteenth century, the last building having burnt down in 1886. Much of the interior decoration of the house was made by the Guild of Handicrafts to Ashbee's designs.","physicalDescription":"Nine pendant circular rose: a circle of nine enamelled roses is arranged around a central rose. From this are suspended a circular wrought iron band, draped silk covered electrical wires and drop shaped bulbs.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ashbee, Charles Robert","id":"A8102"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Guild of Handicraft Ltd","id":"A9111"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"base metal","id":"AAT241615"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"porcelain","id":"AAT10662"},{"text":"Copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"Pewter","id":"AAT10979"},{"text":"wrought iron","id":"AAT11012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Wrought","id":"THES290467"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wrought iron with enamelled copper, pewter and lead roses","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AL2605"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"125G (VA)","id":"THES49212"},"free":"","case":"CEI","shelf":"","box":"15"},{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES412258"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chandelier","id":""}],[{"text":"Light Fitting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1895","earliest":"1895-01-01","latest":"1895-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Wates Limited","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"91","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"No marks","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"In 1895, Ashbee wrote an article, 'Suggestions for Electric Light Fittings', for the Art Journal. Besides imagining how the ancient Greeks would have designed electric lights - as the epitome of simplicity - he states that, as light falls, the best solution for fittings is high hanging lamps, in preference to low table lamps; (this contradicted those who advocated standard lamps, fearing that a hanging bulb would set light to the wire supporting it). He also approved of the shape of bulbs which looked like drops and therefore should be seen to hang. The hanging design was also restful: 'I prefer rest in a design, and feel disturbed when three naked bronze children coming rushing over the table with forty-eight candle-power hands full'. The exposed wires, to be covered in coloured silks, were to be very much part of the design. Ashbee also stressed the importance of a central rose, preferably made of embossed and enamelled metal sheet, to cover the porcelain ceiling box.\r\n\r\nIn the Art Journal article, Ashbee described this chandelier, designed for the drawing room of his house, the Magpie and Stump at 37 Cheyne Walk, as 'a rather elaborate arrangement of a nine-pendant rose.... Here, almost the whole effect of the design is got in the manipulation of the cords, and - a little detail in light designing that is so often forgotten - their arrangement is such as to cast pleasing and broken shadows on the ceiling. The nine-pendant circular rose in question spins a sort of grand spider-web upon white plaster'.","historicalContext":"CR Ashbee built the 'Magpie and Stump' for his mother , Mrs Elizabeth Ashbee at 37 Cheyne Walk in 1893. She moved in with her two younger daughters Agnes and Elsa in 1894. It was named after a pub, the Magpie and Stump Inn which had stood on the site since the sixteenth century, the last building having burnt down in 1886. Much of the interior decoration of the house was made by the Guild of Handicrafts to Ashbee's designs.","briefDescription":"Chandelier, designed by C.R. Ashbee for 37, Cheyne Walk, London, 1895.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Crawford, Alan. <font -u>C.R. Ashbee, Architect, Designer and Romantic Socialist</font>. New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 1985. pp 72-3. ill. ISBN 0300034679"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nArts and Crafts designers were quick to use electric lighting following its introduction in the 1880s. The architect and designer C.R. Ashbee published an article on the subject. He was particularly interested to see that light from electricity fell instead of rose, as with candles and gas lighting. The design for this chandelier shows this close observation in the use of reflectors to direct the light downwards.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["M.60:1-2000","M.60:2-2000"],"accessionNumberNum":"60","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":2000,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous LOST number","id":"THES50310"},"number":"Lost.500"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2016JJ1781","2019LR1607","2019LP0500","2019LV7487"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-12","recordCreationDate":"2001-02-13","availableToBook":false}}