A brass wall light is a light fitting made of brass and designed to be fixed to a wall, typically with a backplate and one or more arms supporting candles, gas burners or electric lamp holders. Wall lights provide soft, indirect lighting and are a traditional element of period room schemes.
The form descends from the candle sconce, often with a polished or reflective backplate to enhance the light. Dutch and English brass sconces of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, frequently with embossed backplates, were followed by Georgian and Regency fittings with elegant scrolled arms. In the Victorian period, gas wall brackets in cast and sheet brass became standard in homes, and many were later adapted for electricity. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries produced a great variety of electric brass wall lights, from Arts and Crafts designs to Edwardian fittings with glass shades and Neoclassical revival sconces. Collectors and decorators often seek matching pairs or sets, which are considerably more valuable than single lights. Points to check include original backplates and arms, quality of casting, the condition of any glass shades and the standard of earlier wiring. Antique brass wall lights should be rewired and tested before installation.
