A client in Putney asked us to attend to a 1950s Czech chandelier that had not been cleaned in twenty-three years. Airborne deposits had built up evenly across the cut glass, softening its refraction and dulling the glass.
The Piece
A mid-century Czech crystal chandelier of substantial form, with several hundred cut-glass drops suspended from a glass central stem of the period. Czech glassmaking of the 1950s is well regarded for the clarity and precision of its cutting, both evident in this piece.
Work Carried Out
- Hand cleaning of every drop and chain in position
- Clean of every stem piece that made up the central stem
- Reseating of any drops that had shifted
- Inspection of suspension and electrical fittings
- Final check on completion
Approach
The chandelier was cleaned entirely in place at the property. Each crystal was attended to by hand, and each piece of the central stem was fully cleaned back to its original state.
Outcome
The chandelier carries light once again across the room. The central stem retained its sparkling character and the original wiring was left intact. Similar hand cleaning of mid-century and nineteenth-century pieces is recorded in our 1980s chrome spiral chandelier in Kent and the pair of Strass crystal chandeliers in North London.
