Hampton

Neoclassical style; 1822-1827
Birmingham, England; Thomas Messenger & Son

In 1780, Swiss chemist Aimé Argand invented a new type of oil lamp that brought greatly improved lighting to the home. This ceiling fixture was made by the leading British manufacturers whose lighting fixtures could be found in many American homes. Probably originally hung in one of the principal rooms on Hampton’s first floor when new, it had been adapted to electricity and was hanging in the Master Bedchamber by the 1940s.

Bronze, brass, iron, glass. H 55.9, W 47, D 48.9 cm
Hampton National Historic Site, HAMP 27092