Clarkes Patent Night Lights

 

An item that has just come in and has been interesting to investigate is this set of four S Clarkes Patent Fairy Lights with clear glass bases and candle holders and with "Burmese Glass" shades.


Clarke was a master at marketing in the late 19th century and paid for expensive adverts, sometimes in colour, in News papers and Magazines yet he only made the candles. Clarke managed to get many manufacturers to make the lamps to hold his candles, and to great success, companies such as Thomas Webb, Doulton, Royal Worcester, Northwood and many more. The range of styles and colours of glass is huge with candelabra designed to hold several of the lights.
  The Advertisement below boasts about "As used by Her Majesty The Queen".
                                  


The trade mark "S Clarkes Patent Fairy lights" are on all of his products at the expense of the manufacturers of the candle holders. He was always protecting his Patents to stop other manufacturers copying his designs.

Two night lights , one of them lit.

 40 years ago when I first started in the Antiques business the lights where highly regarded but it seems over the years interest has waned, but while I have been investigating the lights I have come across a great website for the Fairy light collectors which this link will lead you to .

The S Clarke Patent mark in the bases of all of this lights