Gilt Bronze Chandelier Conservation: Erie Club

Gilt Bronze Chandelier Conservation: Erie Club

Erie, Pennsylvania

This project, undertaken for the Erie Club, involved the conservation of two gilt bronze chandeliers/gasoliers fabricated by Archer and Warner of Philadelphia during the last quarter of the 19th century.  While one of the fixtures was conserved in situ, the second larger chandelier was removed for conservation offsite. Over the years, much of the wiring which had been added in the early part of the 20th century, had degraded and the original gilt bronze surface had been painted with gold paint. After dismantling the chandelier, the paint was carefully removed from each component, and the gilt surface was gently cleaned through immersion in non-ionic detergent.  Upon completion of the gilt bronze restoration, the entire fixture was rewired and reassembled on site.  As part of this project, Blackburn Conservation also cleaned, rewired and re-hung the chandelier's crystals.