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A simple yet timeless wall light, based on an original Simplex design from the 1880s. Assembled from high-quality British and European components, its solid brass frame is available in polished, acid-dipped antiqued, or nickel-plated finishes.
Paired with a Frilly Bell shade, it brings a touch of vintage elegance, with delicately fluted glass that softens the light beautifully. Made using traditional glassmaking techniques, all components are fully recyclable, combining heritage craftsmanship with sustainability.
A sophisticated wall light inspired by elegant designs from the 1880s, this fixture is based on a model originally supplied by Simplex and assembled with precision using high-quality British and European components. The solid brass frame is available in a variety of finishes, including polished, acid-dipped antiqued, or nickel-plated, offering versatility to suit different interiors. The Frilly Bell shade, with its delicate fluted edges and softly curved form, brings a touch of vintage charm while diffusing light beautifully. As with all our products, each part is fully recyclable, reflecting our commitment to sustainability.
This wall light embodies a refined yet timeless aesthetic, evolving from an 18th-century candle sconce through the gas-lit designs of the 19th century and into the electric era of the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether used traditionally as a downlighter or creatively as an uplighter, its enduring appeal makes it a versatile choice. Each piece is crafted with care in Birmingham or Northern Ireland, preserving the finest traditions of British and European craftsmanship.
The Frilly Bell shade adds a distinct character to this light, inspired by the decorative glasswork of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Its gently fluted edges soften the illumination, casting a warm and inviting glow reminiscent of early gas and electric lighting. Many of our shades are produced in small British workshops, while others are expertly crafted in Poland or the renowned glass-making region of Bohemia in the Czech Republic, ensuring both quality and authenticity.
Choose whether to mount the lamp in a traditional way on an oak backplate (or pateras) that you can wax and polish or paint as you wish, or mount the light without for a slightly more modern touch.
We recommend the use of modern LED bulbs and, if used, there is no restriction on its power. If old, filament (incandescent) bulbs are used then a maximum of 40w is recommended.
Prismatic Shades - 'Holophane'
During the early 1890s Andre Blondel, a French engineer and physicist, known for his work in electrical research and an attache to the Lighthouses and Beacons Service, and Spiridion Psaroudaki, a Greek engineer, conceived an idea in a Paris laboratory to cover a glass globe with horizontal glass prisms properly positioned to control light. Patents were awarded to the two inventors in Europe and, upon the granting of US Patent 563836 in 1893, an American, Otis A. Mygatt was introduced to this work. He saw the potential for both domestic and industrial lighting and began to collaborate with Blondel and Psaroudaki.
The advantages of prismatic shades very quickly became clear to a European public demanding brighter light. The prisms effectively focused the dim bulbs output to produce clear, bright, clean illumination and proved very popular in shops, schools, factories, lighthouses and homes. So much so that Mygatt bought the worldwide rights to Blondel and Psaroudaki's invention in 1894 and formed the Holophane Glass Company in 1898 in London to capitalise on his purchase. That same year Mygatt transferred the company to No.1 Broadway, New York.
The term 'Holophane' was derived from the Greek - 'Holos' and 'Phanein' - to contrive the meaning 'to appear completely luminous'. In 1900 Holophane was manufacturing a large range of globes and reflectors and described them thus: [they are made of] 'perfectly clear glass with prisms scientifically constructed in such a manner as to both direct the rays of light in downward and outward directions'.
Height :22.5cm
Width: 15cm
Projection: 25.5cm
