chandelier

This chandelier, made of ruby glass, has eight arms that are arranged in inner and outer circles, each with four shades. It is attributed to the English firm of F. & C. Osler, which operated in Birmingham from 1807 to 1976, and it dates from the glasshouse’s heyday, when much of its business consisted of producing large glass chandeliers, candelabra, and furniture for Indian palaces. During the British colonial years, members of the aristocratic class in India imported luxury goods, among the choicest of which were glass objects made by Osler for use and display in palaces. This impressive example remained in Katmandu until 1975. It is said to have belonged to Promod Shamsher Rana, a descendant of the ruling Rana family, and it attests to the opulence, grandeur, and abundant lifestyle of Indian royalty during the late 19th century. The chandelier was housed in Hite Durbar, an old palace that was home to the prime minister, his son Promod, and other Rhana family members. This object was probably one of a number of glass lighting fixtures and pieces of furniture that were either ordered by the Rhana family or purchased from a maharajah who was updating his furnishings. The palace has since been converted into individual apartments. For more information on glass furniture made by Osler for the Indian market, see Deepika Ahlawat, “Empire of Glass: F. & C. Osler in India, 1840–1930,” Journal of Design History, v. 21, no. 2, 2008, pp. 155–170; and Jane Shadel Spillman, European Glass Furnishings for Eastern Palaces, Corning: The Corning Museum of Glass, 2006, pp. 50–93.