General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

METAL, PROBABLY BRASS, MICA IN SOCKETS, POSSIBLY SYNTHETIC SWITCH KEYS

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

110.0 cm

Width

54.0 cm

Height

49.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Lighting Technology

Category

Lighting devices

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

COMBINATION GAS & ELECTRIC FIXTURES WERE USED FROM THE 1880'S INTO THE EARLY DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Canada

Part of the Ontario Hydro Collection. This collection was acquired by the CSTM in 1992. It documents the material culture of the history of electricity and its uses.

Function

TO PROVIDE LIGHT THROUGH THE USE OF GAS & BY PROVIDING A HOUSING FOR LAMP BULBS & CONNECTING THEM TO ELECTRICITY/ ALSO SERVES A DECORATIVE FUNCTION

Technical

COMBINATION GAS & ELECTRIC LAMPS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO USE ELECTRIC LIGHT WITHOUT GIVING UP THE OPTION OF USING GAS IN CASE OF AN ELECTRIC POWER OUTAGE - A NOT UNUSUAL OCCURANCE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF ELECTRICITY. WITH NEW INSULATED JOINT FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES CREATED BY LOUIS MCCARTHY, MANAGER OF THE W.T.C. MACALLEN COMPANY.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

ON 2 SWITCH KEYS 'C.G.E. Co.'/ ON 3RD SWITCH KEY APPEARS TO BE STYLIZED 'M' OVERTOP OF A 'C'/ SLIGHTLY RAISED ON CEILING END PIECE 'SOLID [MI]CA INSULAT[0R?]/ MA[N]F'[G] BY W.T.C. MACALLEN CO./ BOSTON MASS. U.S.A.' & 'FEB.9.1892', APPEAR TO BE OTHER DATES TOO, BUT NOT LEGIBLE/ ON SOCKETS 'EDISON PATENTS'/ ON SHADE HOLDERS 'MADE IN U.S.A. 'PAT'D SEP. 23.90.'

Missing

SHADES

Finish

COPPER COLOUR & BLACK (APPEARS THAT FINISH HAS DISCOLOURED)

Decoration

ARMS & CENTRAL STEM HAVE NARROW, VERTICAL RIDGES/ SOME SCROLL 'CUT-OUTS' BELOW ARMS/ GAS KEYS ARE FAN SHAPE WITH SCROLLS/ FILIGREE TYPE FINIAL IN EGG SHAPE/ FLOWER SHAPEDSOCKET CUPS/ CEILING CUP HAS BORDER INCLUDING HEART SHAPES, ANOTHER WITH ALTERNATING WIDE & NARROW BANDS, STYLIZED PETAL SHAPES SURROUNDING NARROW END/ AROUND COLLAR OF SHADE HOLDER IS VINE PATTERN