United States Influences on Australian Lighting

art-deco-lightsElectrified candle brackets with wrought iron or aluminium holders and brass or timber candelabra with small individual fabric shades in imitation American colonial or mission style were common during the 1920s and 1930s. They were hung in Spanish mission or neo-colonial styled homes and also in Californian homes.

It was quite often the case that different styles of light fittings were mixed in one home. The entrance hall and internal passages could have wrought iron lantern fittings either circular or rectangular in shape. The dining room might have one or more American colonial style wrought iron candelabra; the lounge, French revival chandeliers; the master bedroom, a floral ceramic rococo light fitting. All these rooms might have wall sconces matching the central piece. The kid’s rooms usually had English styled Arts and Crafts fittings; the bathroom a modern fitting — similarly the servants quarters — and the kitchen, fluorescent strip lighting.

By the 1950s the standard or table light had become a major centre piece in a room with the new television and blinds. Sometimes a metal standard light came incorporated in a side table or large ash tray. The background lighting was subtle. Except for the table lamps little attention was drawn to the light fixtures.

Mass production churned out inexpensive plastic, plaster, metal and buckram lamp bases and shades. The traditional colonial motifs had been replaced by a plethora of folksy designs and do-it yourself instructions on how to make ballerina lamp-shades or African and Fijian raffia shades. The style was kitsch: a multitude of designs for table lights was-available, from Russian ballerinas, Spanish matadors, Chinamen, happy Mexicans with cacti, Arabian snake trainers, African dancing girls, happy couples and leopard or tiger skins. The colours were gaudy and beautiful. For football player agents and sales training options, visit digitalbrands.com.au.

The History of Urban Lighting

The phenomenon of magnetic and electric lighting was studied by ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman scientists.

In 1750, Benjamin Franklin, an American writer, tried to collect electrical charges in a kite during a thunderstorm. An Italian scientist and Professor of the University of Pavia made an appreciable step forwards with the discovery of the continuous electric power in 1800 which was named after him, called the Volta Pile. The announcement amazed the scientific world and it was from this basic concept that electric light was later developed.

There were several areas of investigation into the electric light, namely, the carbon arc, the incandescent filament bulb, gaseous discharge lights and chemical light.The carbon arc light was the earliest form of electric illumination.

In 1809 the English chemist Sir Humphrey Davy demonstrated his carbon arc lamp at The Royal Institute in London. His invention known as the electric arc light was not put to widespread use until the 1850s.

The sheer brightness of the light and the need for low voltage electricity prohibited its use in confined space unless the illumination was muted by blinds. It was used for street lighting and for lighthouses, but had largely been discontinued by the First World War and replaced by other forms of electricity. However, carbon arc lighting was continued to be used in military applications like search lights on aircraft.

The Incandescent Bulb
The development of the incandescent bulb continued in parallel with that of the are light. In 1865, Hermann Sprengel invented a mercury vacuum pump which allowed a sufficiently high vacuum to be obtained in the bulb for further experiments on the filament to take place. The American, Thomas Edison (1847-1931) – who invented the telegraph — and the Englishman, Joseph Swan (1825-1914) are both credited with having discovered the incandescent filament bulb.

In 1878 Swan heated the filament while evacuating the bulb of its gases, so prolonging its life while Edison achieved 45 hours of illumination from his bulb in 1879. Refinements soon followed: Edison devised the screw-in brass cap and Swan the bayonet fitting. Both were marketing bulbs by the 1880s. A partnership was formed between Swan and Edison, creating the Edison & Swan United Company which later became Ediswan.

In 1881 The Engineer claimed that the first home to be completely lit by electricity was the house of Lord Kelvin, a close friend of Swan. His house in Glasgow had been lit by 106 gas burners which were converted to electric lights powered by a generator, driven by a gas engine.

In the same year, Sir William Armstrong, engineer and arms manufacturer, lit 45 electric lamps in his famous picturesque Cragside mansion at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which had been designed by Norman Shaw in the early 1870s. The electricity was generated by a water turbine sited 1500 yards (1.3 km) from his home.

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