Sconce

Object Name:

Sconce

Object ID:

1988.076.02

Description:

Mirror wall sconce, tin and glass, one of a pair. For 1 3/8" candles. Shallow, concave, segmented mirror-backed glass reflector mounted in sheet-metal support with slightly turned-over outer edge. To back of support is circular sheet-metal ring with turned-over edge. Soldered to back of support. Small hanging ring attached near top, 6.1" diameter. Butt joint at bottom with two clipped corners on inside edge. Joint does not touch but is close. Reflector has central disc approximated 1.5" diameter. Five rows of trapezoidal-shaped mirror segments around central disc. Each row has 29 segments. Consists of 145 pieces of glass in five concentric circles. Semicircular sheet-metal support arm soldered to bottom outside edge of reflector support dish. Sheet-metal arm has turned-over edges. Small tube on inside of curved arm that supports it. Tube is detached from its solder points. Appears to be wax drain tube that doesn't connect properly to drain wax. Support arm has wire inside turned over edges. At top end of arm that is bent at right angles which supports candle drip cup and is soldered to it. Candle drip cup is approximately 3.3" in diameter. Crimped edge turned up. Candle cup inside of drip cup, approximately 1.5" diameter. Sheet-metal cylinder with turned-over top edge. It appears to be soldered to drip cup. Small gap in candle cup. Two clipped corners at bottom of gap. Hole in handle drip cup. It lines up with opening in top front edge of support cylinder. Wax residues inside drip cup and candle cup. On back of support dish inside sheet-metal ring is a small white circular accretion that may be a egg case of unknown insect.
.01 Shallow, concave, segmented mirror-backed glass reflector mounted in sheet-metal support with slightly turned-over outer edge. To back of support is circular sheet-metal ring with turned-over edge. Soldered to back of support. Small hanging ring attached near top, 6.1" diameter. Butt joint at bottom with two clipped corners on inside edge. Joint does not touch but is close. Reflector has central disc approximated 1.5" diameter. Five rows of trapezoidal-shaped mirror segments around central disc. Each row has 29 segments. Semicircular sheet-metal support arm soldered to bottom outside edge of reflector support dish. Sheet-metal arm has turned-over edges. Small tube on inside of curved arm that supports it. Support arm has wire inside turned over edges. At top end of arm that is bent at right angles which supports candle drip cup and is soldered to it. Candle drip cup is approximately 3.3" in diameter. Crimped edge turned up. Candle cup inside of drip cup, approximately 1.5" diameter. Sheet-metal cylinder with turned-over top edge. It appears to be soldered to drip cup. Small gap in candle cup. Two clipped corners at bottom of gap. Hole in handle drip cup. It lines up with opening in top front edge of support cylinder. Tube appears to be a drainage tube in addition to supporting arm.
.02 Has 9 glass segments missing, three is each of the two outer circles.

Material:

Metal
Glass

Dimensions:

H-10.9 W-9 D-5.7 inches

Provenance:

Said by Mrs. Fowler to be from the "Wentworth House" in Portsmouth. She acquired them from her uncle, Richard Harold Ham (b. 18870), great grandson of Paul Wentworth (1792-1871). Mr. Ham apparently got them from a "lovely white colonial house in Portsmouth which he appeared to "own" and which he referred to as the "Wentworth House". According to Dorothy Vaughan, it may have been the Gov. Levi Woodbury Mansion.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Ham, Richard Harold (1870- )