Conservation of the Gaseliers
In 1823, 12 years before the Tredwells moved to East Fourth Street, New York City established the New York Gas Light Company to begin manufacturing gas for illumination. Fixtures that have survived from this initial period of gas utility service in the city — such as the gas chandeliers in the Museum’s front and rear parlors — are far fewer in number than the fashionable Rococo and Renaissance revival-style fixtures that survive from the 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s. By then, the gas industry was firmly established and lamp manufacturing companies were supplying numerous gas lighting devices.
The Museum’s chandeliers are even rarer still. They have survived in situ -- a prime example of the earliest form of domestic gas lighting. Moreover, they appear to retain a significant amount of their original finish. Significant questions remain, however, about when exactly the gaseliers were manufactured and installed, the correct orientation of their central sections, and their uniqueness in the United States today. The Museum is planning a major research survey to answer these questions conclusively, so that the best possible strategy can be employed to stabilize and conserve these “national treasures.”
Front parlor gaselier
View from rear parlor showing matching gaseliers
Front parlor gaselier detail
Above: Buried under decades of dust and grime, the fixtures appear to retain a high percent of the original shellac varnish that was applied to protect the mixed burnished and matte finishes that contributed to the play of light in interiors.