WHITE STAR LINE/R.M.S. OLYMPIC: First-Class Reading and Writ...

Hammer

£20,000

WHITE STAR LINE/R.M.S. OLYMPIC: First-Class Reading and Writing Room lamp, circa. 1911, one of the very few survivors from the public areas of Olympic offered in superb condition. By family repute, purchased direct from Messers Knight Frank and Rutley's, c/o Thomas W. Ward Ltd disposal sale, the original 1935 auction lot was described as:- "Drawing Room, (incorrectly referred to in the 1935 auction catalogue as 'Drawing Room', this would be the Reading and Writing Room) Lot 374. Two large ornamental ormolu electric ceiling fittings, with cut glass bead balloon shades, and eight smaller ditto" This description almost certainly refers to the fixture in question, being one of the eight smaller examples mentioned.
The fixture was most likely to have been manufactured and supplied by one of two firms associated with the First-Class accommodations, either Messers. Perry and Company, of Grafton Street, Bond Street, London or Messers. N Burt and Co Ltd, Wardour Street, London. It is understood that Perry and Co are thought to have provided the famous beaded light fixtures found within the Grand Staircase complex, of which this example bears striking similarities in its construction and design. As a side note, several of the electroliers from the First-Class reception decks that were sold from Haltwhistle in 2004 were impressed with the Perry and Co manufacturers mark.
Olympic's beautiful First-Class Reading and Writing Room, shows these fixtures dotted around the room. There appears to have been two sizes, larger examples sat within the central elements of the room, whilst the smaller examples, such as this one, sat in pairs around the edge of the room. A similar example of this light fixture can be seen within the debris field of the Titanic wreck site, still clinging to the plaster and ceiling of the room it was pulled from on its destructive fall to the bottom of the North Atlantic.
This example was restored by Fritz Fryer, a leading authority in the world of antique lighting restoration and sales. The restoration process was arduous and complex, first the fixture was totally dismantled and cleaned. Oddly the original ormolu gilding had been painted in a thick dull gold paint, thankfully when carefully removed the gilding remained in surprisingly good condition underneath, one assumes an update was intended to refresh the light fixture, perhaps during one of the ships final refits? The beads were all removed, cleaned, polished then rewired, as the original wire had become brittle and would break upon handling. The original silvered frame was restored and returned to its original dome shape that the beads hung from. The firm did an extraordinary job in accomplishing total originality to the point that with the exception of new wiring within, the fixture is as near to original as possible. 14½ins.
One of the finest examples of its type in existence today.