Vincent Works Westminster William Sugg & Co

1837 - 1969

 

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Collectors

This section is devoted to the collectors and collections - aimed at William Sugg products or connections - but also open to related items which are historically interesting and/or important.  Many collectors hold products sourced from a wide range of manufacturers and sometimes this will help us all to understand the development of a particular product.  Books literature and general publications have been separated into their own section under 'Publications' and are frequently a resource for many of the product sections.  Specific museum collections are listed in the 'Contacts' section.

Unfortunately, like the rest of us, collectors have only one lifetime!  A common problem, therefore, for all 'private' collectors is what, eventually, to do with the collection!  It is such a personal enthusiasm that even many of the closest family members would not know what to do with the collection if they were to be left with it - and the horror of the skip looms large. Some of the private collectors in this section hold nationally or internationally important collections which are not likely to be bettered by any world class museum.  I would like to propose that any collector who wishes to review his options can provide a contact point through this website to allow any private person or public body to consider some, part, or all of their collection for purchase, exchange, gift or even promotion to a more significant status, to ensure that often a lifetime's diligent collection never goes to waste.

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In order to kick start this section I have been given permission to show a number of pictures of products from the collection of Ara Kebapcioglu - everyone calls him Ara!  He is the proprietor of a wonderful little shop in Paris called Lumiere de l'Oeil located at 4, rue Flatters, 75005, Paris.  As the name of the shop translates to "Light of the Eye" you can imagine that this is a super specialist lighting shop carrying lots of gas lamps many of which are 'in gas' as they say.  If you are interested in interior gas lighting this shop is a must!  Many of you will be relieved to know that Ara speaks many languages fluently, including English of course!  As you might suspect he has a fantastic website which is also listed in the 'Contacts' section.  http://lumiara.perso.neuf.fr/lumiara/

He is intimately connected with a publication called Gazette AFEGAZ which is published regularly with articles on the history of gas and gas appliances - mostly in French but occasionally with a translation! The AFEGAZ website is also in 'Contacts'


Early Flame Shapes


Sugg Argand Burner with Two Circles of Holes in the Steatite Head

                   


These pictures are claimed to be a Cromartie fixture.  Whilst they certainly have similar features, the fixture feels too 'crude' for the true Sugg fixture!!  If you look at the Sugg catalogue pictures in the Cromartie section - you will see the comparison.  It does however illustrate the shape of the flame.
Doubtless this discussion will continue!


Picture from 'Ara' for Gazette AFEGAZ

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I recently had the pleasure of talking to a collector who lives in Bristol.  He was born in the town although he has a Scots background and he remembers his mother lighting the gas and being sufficiently frightened but also intrigued by the 'pop' of the ignition that he would watch from behind the door through the crack by the hinge! When he moved back to the house he now occupies he was walking past an antique shop and spotted a lovely wall bracket with a nice piece of green glass.  On a whim, he went in and bought it!  The rest is history and he now has 31 fixtures 'in gas'.  He has given me permission to show you the selection below.

              

            

            

 
Probably the most unusual and maybe the oldest piece is the pendant immediately above.  This is a classic open flame burner which was designed to be 'parked' up against the ceiling during the day and swivelled down to operate at night.  This one is also telescopic and the whole idea is to bring the very modest light source down to a more usable level often necessary with high ceilings.  (The extra pair of chains passing through the ceiling operate a remote lever cock as a non original safety device.) The telescopic arrangement was always dubious as the sealing was achieved with a cork seal which would frequently leak!  In this case the seal has been changed for a more suitable modern material.

I am hoping to get some pictures of the lamps actually running as it adds a lot to the story.

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And now, quite possibly the most comprehensive collection of (particularly interior) gas lighting and associated items in the UK!  Not only that but also a major collector of early electric lamps (light bulbs to many of us) and several other items that generally lie outside the remit of this website!

Ray Tye has been collecting for many years.  He is now retired but held the enviable post of archivist to the Phoenix Insurance Company, providing him with a huge resource of information.  Only a few years ago he moved his whole collection from one address to another - no mean feat even if the items had not been installed - and he is now threatening to move again!  Each move has been accompanied by a small reduction in the collection.  On the last occasion he decided his collection of gas street lanterns was simply too large to re-house and had to find new homes for them.  There are many Sugg items but the beauty of a general collection is the pure comparison that can be seen across the whole range.

These pictures were taken during a visit in April 2005 and Ray tells me that he has sold a few items and that duplicates and the less important items are available.


Loft Space Collection!
  
Gas Burners and Light Bulbs!
  
A Pair of Live Open Flame Swivel Brackets
  
Three Arm Pendant and another Swivel Bracket
both of which are gas fixtures adapted to electricity

  
Mantle Collection - Boxes and Tubes
Dozens of manufacturers produced and boxed mantles
- including William Sugg with his 'Sugg Stronga'


William Sugg Float Governor Burners (and two by Peebles!)
  
Half round 'Back Lamp' - Grosvenor Type with 2 light No.2 Gas Burner.

Whilst some collectors concentrate on one single item and others on a specific sector, Ray Tye has both related and un-related collections.  His collection of electric lamps (bulbs) is quite possibly the most important collection of its type.  He has many duplicates and even several hundred traditional carbon filament type lamps which he wishes to sell.  If anyone is interested in learning more specifically about these items, Ray can be contacted on rg.tye@btinternet.com (new email address 2011) Ray and his collection of light bulbs were mentioned in an interesting article in The Guardian on collecting light bulbs which can be read at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2007/jan/14/alternativeinvestment.observercashsection
 

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Maurice Wilkinson's Sheffield Hotel which only quite recently closed to guests, is a unique illustration of one mans' enthusiasm for gas lighting.  The hotel was formed from two adjacent houses and, now that one is to be sold, I took the opportunity in June 2008 to visit Maurice and photograph the fixtures before they are removed prior to sale.  Maurice believes that if the fixtures were to be left in-situ any new owner would simply scrap them whilst 'modernising' the house so he would rather pass them on to another gas lighting enthusiast than lose what is fast becoming a unique facility.  I am sure you will agree that he is right!

 
The Living Room has two twin candle wall brackets, two different table lamps and a two arm pendant which is not shown here - all in gas!

      
These two very different wall brackets above illustrate the eclectic mix of fixtures that Maurice has fitted in his hotel over the years.  The one on the right is an original upright open flame swivel bracket fitted with an inverted burner as so many fixtures were converted when the technology changed.

      
There are a pair of these modernistic 'spaceship' fixtures with 3 lt superheated burners manufactured by Falks Stadelman and known as 'Pool' fixtures.  They are operated by remote control with permanent pilot ignition. See further down.

      
The gas table lamp, above, manufactured by Nico, is lighting a picture of Maurices' father who was a senior manager in the electrical industry!

      
This handsome table lamp is a Sugg 'Millbank' 'Desk Pillar' No.2160 with non original fringed opal glass shade but it does have the original twin superheated piloted burner and, like the other table lamp is fed by a flexible gas supply tube.

      
More of the eclectic mix of brackets.  The impressive brass wall bracket on the right is one of a pair of Sugg 'Oxford' artistic flambeau fixtures No.2197 in the hall.  With a 3lt No.1 burner they give an excellent light. £5.12.0 in 1936!

      
On the left is a Sugg 'Elite' burner with lever cock, permanent pilot and vitreosil heat proof glass in the bathroom.

      
This great statuette, originally with an open flame burner, was rescued by Maurice and modified into an inverted burner fixture now mounted on the stairway. 
I was assured that Maurice had a spare glass for the Sugg 'Corridor Backlamp' on the right, which still worked just fine!

      
Gas lighting extends to the outside privy and to several Sugg exterior fixtures of which the one on the right is a 6lt Rochester

       
On the left, in a recessed box with hinged lid by the front door, is the control wheel for the DCD (Distant Control Device) that was originally used to control the street lamp at the end of the drive, below. The set of 3 tumbler switches include  the controls for the Falks 'Pool' fixtures above.
     
The Globe lamp by the front door, operated by a CCS (Central Control System) was manufactured by Sugg Lighting, as was the Grosvenor at the end of the drive.

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Collectors are also restorers as beautifully illustrated in the following pictures of his 2 lt Rochester provided by Dieter Bruening of Essen. Anybody who has tried to restore either the Littleton or the Rochester will know that they were never really intended to be dismantled, especially the later ones that use diecast aluminium rings like the one shown bottom right.  Most copper lanterns use brass screws in their assembly so this is what was used to hold the body parts to the ring.  Fine when the ring was brass but the corrosion that occurs between aluminium and brass often makes it impossible to remove the screws without cutting off the heads and drilling out and re-tapping the thread. Doubtless the early brass rings were replaced by aluminium for economy - but you try taking one apart! Well done Dieter!

The Littleton below belongs to David Sandell and is also shown larger in the Rochester & Littleton section with a fuller description

      

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Brian Pocock is an enthusiastic collector of gas lamps of all sorts, the majority of which are Sugg but his engineering talents have been put to work on adaptations such as using American soft mantles in place of the now very expensive Indian hard mantles. Brian lives in Cornwall and makes regular visits to the USA where his wife has a practice and retains a house which has also gained some gas lighting. This is a selection of his projects:-

Brian first contacted me having obtained a 'Back Lamp' with the label Murray & Co., Glasgow, which had a gas burner that had been butchered to make into an electric fixture. He wanted to fit it with a replacement gas burner for LPG so I recommended a 2lt burner from the Sugg Lighting Victoria Back Lamp. The result was excellent as you can see below:-

    

The Windsor below is an original Suspension or Cradle model with large 'oak leaves' or 'ears'. It has a nice porcelain reflector and Brian has fitted an upright burner with time clock. His non original suspension may have to be replaced as the wind had caused mantle breakage through excessive movement!

  

Below is a nice square section tube swivel wall bracket and on the right is the view of the three burners of the 'Regent' lamp which predates the superheater of the Rochester & Littleton lamps.(qv)

      

Below is a refurbished 1 lt Littleton with pilot and an 'upright' burner mounted as a table lamp

      

Three more 'table lamps' below. Interesting temporary application of a double swivel wall bracket and in the centre a nice support for a Sugg 'Elite' burner.

     

Proper application, below, of the double swivel wall bracket with upright mantle and a swivel wall bracket with lever cock and chains and permanent pilot.

    

Sugg 1548 cast aluminium 'Indoor Back Lamp', below with another 'table lamp' and 'the summerhouse with gas lighting.

     

Welsbach 'Kern' gas fire and a closer view of the lit Sugg Bon Marche lamp with non original glass lowered a little, nicely demonstrating the reflector effect particularly suited to high ceilings, producing a lovely soft light.

     

Brian's collection currently includes from Sugg, 4 Littletons, Surbiton, Westminster, 6 Bon Marche, Elite, 1548 Back Lamp, Windsor suspension, Regent, 6 lt Rochester. Several non Sugg and mongrels AND as he says
1 moderately tolerant wife and 1 very happy propane supplier!

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Oil Hand Lamps by William Sugg

There is one section that should perhaps be included within 'Collectors' but at present has its own section.  Railway hand lamps are currently included under 'Lighting' as 'Oil Hand Lamps' so if that's your interest see if there is anything you can add, others have already!

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If anyone has any suggestions, wishes to be included in this section, or to make any proposals related to this section, please send an email in the first case to chris.sugg@williamsugghistory.co.uk

 

 

 

Copyright © Chris Sugg 2006-13

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