Antique Gasolier Restoration & Electrification

We were contacted by a customer who owned an antique gasolier that had previously been converted to electricity but required considerable attention.

The existing electrification was poorly executed, and the customer wanted the fitting adapted to accommodate traditional colza glass shades.

There were also several structural and practical issues to address, including a broken handle on the central urn and an original ceiling connection designed for a gas supply pipe rather than conventional chandelier suspension.

The customer delivered the gasolier to our workshop, where we undertook the necessary metalwork, repairs and re-electrification.

One of the principal challenges was adapting the existing arms to accommodate colza glass shades.

These distinctive shades required suitable supports and a secure method of attachment.

We modified the ends of the arms by introducing new brass components, including brass rods and T-shaped couplers.

These provided a suitable mounting arrangement for the electrical lampholders and the glass shades.

BC (bayonet cap) lampholders were fitted, together with spring-loaded retaining clips designed to hold the colza shades in position.

The clips can be compressed to allow the glass shades to be fitted and then released to retain them.

This work required careful adaptation of the original metalwork while preserving the appearance and character of the gasolier.

The gasolier also had a damaged handle on its central decorative urn.

One of the curved handles had broken away from its original attachment point.

We repaired the damaged section using a soft-soldered joint, restoring the handle to its position on the urn.

The repair was undertaken with consideration for the existing metalwork and finish.

Another important modification involved the method by which the gasolier would be suspended.

Originally, the fitting was designed to connect directly to a gas pipe projecting from the ceiling.

The existing upper connection incorporated a red-painted pipe section, which was no longer suitable for the intended installation.

We removed this arrangement and replaced it with a brass hanging hook.

This modification allowed the gasolier to be suspended as an electrically operated chandelier rather than relying on its original gas-pipe connection.

With the necessary metalwork modifications completed, we undertook the re-electrification of the gasolier.

The previous electrical installation was replaced, with new wiring incorporated into the fitting and connected to the BC lampholders.

The electrical work was carried out alongside the modifications to the arm ends, ensuring that the lampholders and shade supports worked together as a complete arrangement.

Once the wiring was completed, bulbs were fitted in preparation for the installation of the glass shades.

The colza shades had been specially purchased from a company in Scotland specialising in glass lighting shades.

With the new brass fittings and retaining clips in place, the shades could be carefully fitted to the modified arms.

The completed arrangement retained the distinctive appearance of the original gasolier while allowing the shades to be used with electric lighting.

The gasolier was illuminated in our workshop to check the completed electrical arrangement and demonstrate the finished appearance.

The completed restoration brought together several different aspects of our work: specialist metal repairs, adaptation of original components, alterations to the suspension arrangement and re-electrification.

The broken urn handle was repaired, the original gas-pipe connection was replaced with a brass hanging hook, and the arms were modified to accommodate the specially sourced colza shades.

The customer subsequently collected the gasolier from our workshop.

This project demonstrates how an antique gasolier can be sympathetically adapted for modern electric lighting while retaining its original decorative character.