Samuel Clarke

Generally speaking, fairy lamps are candle-burning lights. They are both functional, providing a little light to dark areas, and highly decorative. They come in seemingly endless designs and are made from a broad range of art glass materials including Burmese, satin glass, Peachblow, Verre moiré (Nailsea-type) as well as crystal, Lithophanes and cameo designs. Their popularity peaked during the Victorian era and continues today among avid collectors. Best known of this period were the fairy lamps marketed by Samuel Clarke. Clarke was a candle maker by trade but patented the holders for his candles. He granted licenses to many other glass and porcelain manufacturers in the UK, Europe, and the United States to make the lamp parts and art glass shades for his company and other licensed distributors. Clarke's patented lamps came in three sizes (fairy, pyramid and wee) each with at least a dome and a clear or matching lamp cup. The clear cups often were embossed with Clarke’s trademark and logo – a fairy holding a wand. Samuel Clarke was a marketing genius and protected his patents fiercely. However, many companies produced similar "fairy lamps" with clever designs to avoid infringing on his patents.

Fairy lamps also came on elaborate stands, pottery bases, wall plaques, chandeliers and epergnes, often with nosegay type flower holders. In the late 1890’s Clarke patented the "Cricklite" style of candle lamp with clear domes to go with changing decorator tastes and to compete with more modern types of lighting. Silk shades were often added to domes to enhance the decorative effect. Cricklites were often used in formal dinner settings and provided ample candle lighting to enhance a formal or festive occasion. Clarke Candle Company was sold to Price Candle Company in 1910.

Other glass and candle companies in Europe and America made fairy lamps in similar as well as other styles during this same period and some continue to make these lamps today.

We are fortunate that Samuel Clarke believed that advertising was the key to his success. Many of his fairy lamps were illustrated in his catalogs and also were advertised in well known British publications such as the Illustrated London News, Pottery Gazette, The Graphic, The Queen, and others. Many of these advertisements were in color - an expensive endeavor in the late 1800's. But, Clarke knew the value and importance of advertising and spared no expense.