What are antique table lustres?

Antique table lustres are decorative candleholders featuring suspended glass prisms designed to catch and reflect the light from candles. They function both as illumination and as ornamental centrepieces for tables and mantelpieces.

How were table lustres used?

People placed them on dining tables, sideboards and mantelpieces to provide ambient lighting during evenings. The hanging crystal drops maximised the flickering glow of the candles in rooms before electric lighting.

How do I date a lustre?

Dating relies on identifying the stylistic markers of periods such as Regency, Victorian or Art Deco eras. Materials like Bristol blue glass, opaline, or ormolu mounts also point towards specific manufacturing decades.

How do I clean antique lustres?

Cleaning requires gentle dusting with a soft cloth and careful washing of individual glass drops in lukewarm water. Harsh chemicals must be avoided to protect the gilt finishes and enamel decorations on the metal and glass.