Back in the Middle Ages, people used candles for illumination. In order to use them as ceiling lights, people would construct a rough cross out of wood and stick nails in the ends to hold candles. Then they would hoist the contraption to the ceiling with a rope. In order to make them reflect more light, people would add mirrors, brass plates, and pieces of crystalline quartz. These crude affairs were the chandeliers of their times and were quite a modern innovation. Glass was used, too, but back then it was brittle and broke too easily to do much with.
The earliest crystal chandeliers on record came out in the 16th century. Once again they used various irregular-shaped rock crystals (transparent, crystalline quartz) to increase and enhance the dim light given off by tallow candles. In the 17th century, artisans became experts at cutting rock crystals for chandeliers, and the shapes they came up with are still being used today.
The first chandeliers that were completely made of glass were developed in Murano, Italy, which is on an island north of Venice. Artisans from Venice were sent to Murano to work in secret. After once going there, they were never allowed to leave for fear they would leak the glass making technology they used to the world. If anyone tried to get away, they would send an assassin after him to kill him.
The Advent of Lead Crystal
Then, in 1676, George Ravenscroft, an English glassmaker, developed a new kind of glass. He added lead oxide to the mix which made the glass soft and very refractive. It was much easier to cut than the old glass. People took to calling the new glass “fire”, because when it was used in candle chandeliers, it looked totally brilliant. Eventually glassmakers started cutting grooves into their glass pieces in order to reflect even more light. Lead crystal was used for chandeliers from the 17th century until the 19th century.
The functionality of a crystal chandelier was greatly reduced by the advent of electric lights which were much more efficient light sources than any of their predecessors. That was the point in time when chandeliers quit being regarding as everyday objects and became elegant decorations. This idea caught on with monarchs and the well-to-do who started ordering more and more grandiose chandeliers for their palaces and mansions.
Towards the end of the 19th century, an Austrian named Daniel Swarovski started manufacturing crystal and cutting stone. After going to the world’s fair where he was inspired by Thomas Edison, Swarovski invented a machine to cut jewelry stones and crystal chandelier pieces. He also greatly improved the purity of leaded glass crystal to a state of perfection.
Gorgeous, crystal chandeliers are to be found at many of the prestigious buildings around the world. Although these famous chandeliers would probably be too large for your house, there are lots of much smaller ones for sale. The fine art of making crystal which started hundreds of years ago is still alive and doing well in our modern world.
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