Uranium Glass Fairy Lamp

I love this so much partly because it's beautiful and functional, and a lot because it's smeeeeaarrrrred over time.

In 1880 Samuel Clarke patented a design for a candle and holder, a long-lasting nightlight. People were concerned about candles setting fires, and this one had a cover and a dish to hold water - the candle sat in water. The system was marketed as "Burglars' Horror" which tells us about another concern.

The cut glass design, called Fine Cut and Block looks old, but was created in a hippy artsy crafty glassmaking shop in California in 1968…

which went out of business, and Fred Wilkerson at Wilkerson Glass bought the moulds. He makes new things out of recycled glass -- from broken stuff (word of the day: "cullet".) We're guessing that this radioactive uranium glass was made in about 1930. Wilkerson cast this in 2022.

So: kind of candleholder: 1880. Glass made in 1930. This design: 1968. This actual object was cast in 2022.

1880 - 1930 - 1968 - 2022. All in one package. How cool is that?

Clarke's candle was tallow with a bamboo wick, wrapped in cardboard that burned for 10 hours; you can't buy them anymore so I use a votive candle in its special shape clear glass holder with recycled wax from stubs added which burns for twice that!

Uranium glass really lights up when you illuminate it with the ultraviolet laser.

What an amazingly cool gift! Thank you Gary Bowdridge!!

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