An Arts and Crafts style copper wall light circa 1890.

I generally only buy pieces where I know I can add value through additional provenance but something about this light caught my eye. Thankfully, at least part of the history of this wall light was written on the back of the original wooden backing plate. Written in pencil it has “J. W. Ling and Lowestoft”. 

John Watson Ling opened a shop on the High Street in Lowestoft in 1865 listing his occupation as a gas fitter. The shop seems to have gone through various changes and I suspect this early Arts and Crafts style wall lamp dates to around 1890. It’s likely that J.W. ling was a retailer so the maker of this lamp remains a mystery. There are some great old photographs and more information on the shop at Lowestoftoldandnow.org:

https://lowestoftoldandnow.org/141-142-high-street

The light itself has a wooden backplate and a copper bracket with a hammered finish and rivets very much in the Arts and Crafts style. The shade is made of quite a think gauge of glass and looks to be original. The light has been recently rewired by the excellent Exeter Antique Lighting Company.