William Arthur Benson Lighting

WAS Benson. An exceptional Arts & Crafts brass dining or snooker/billiard table chandelier with a set of eight matching etched Vaseline shade...

W A S Benson. An exceptional and extremely rare Arts and Crafts brass billiard or snooker table chandelier which would also work perfectly as a dining table light, hall light lounge light. This is probably the only one of this model known to exist and arguably one of the very best chandeliers he ever designed. Benson was the leading British lighting designer and manufacturer of the Arts and Crafts period and as a time served engineer myself, to make such a fine brass light of this magnitude in the late 1890’s was a brilliant feat of engineering that could have only been achieved by someone so ahead of his time and at the very top of his field. The light is shown with a very rare set of six Arts and Crafts Vaseline/Uranium glass shades with stylised floral acid etched decoration, of which there are two more available to make a set of eight if required, they all retain their original brass galleries with stylised leaf decorations. THIS BENSON CHANDELIER ( WITHOUT THE VASELINE/URANIUM SHADES ) IS PRICED AT £48,000 WITH THE SHADES £60,000. The Vaseline/Uranium shades shown with this light are listed on 1stdibs for sale separately priced at £18,000. Measurements : The height can be hung 37" from the ceiling as shown in the images or there is another original extension bar with more original brass stays (which you can see in the images). These can make the height from the ceiling 72". The shades can be hung at any height by adjusting the cables below the arms to ones preference. Overall Length 92", Overall Width 36". C1895. WAS Benson met Sir Edward Burne-Jones in the 1880’s, and would become great friends. He encouraged Benson’s interest in making things, and Benson set up his first workshop not too far from where Burne Jones lived and it is said that Benson designed and made much of the romantic, chivalric armour, crowns and models of ships...

W.A.S Benson, a rare pair of large brass and copper lily-pad reflector wall lights. Shades are for display only and not included in the price.  

W.A.S Benson. A rare double conical hanging pendant with double rose tinted cut-glass swirl design shades, embraced within a simple, fluid enclosure.

W. A. S. Benson. 1854 - 1924. and James Powell of Whitefriars. A rare and beautiful to nature chandelier with copper leaf plates and original James Powell Vaseline conical shades with copper petal collars, each etched with Rd Numbers. An exceptional example of Arts and Crafts lighting from the period by the greatest lighting designer and maker in Great Britain of the late 19th and early 20th Century W A S Benson studied Classics and Philosophy at Oxford, then trained as an architect yet only designing houses for his friends and close relatives. He followed his heart and found his forte in lighting, electrical engineering and metal work design. In a letter to his mother he wrote ‘the long and the short of it is, I must make something or be miserable… I think there’s every chance of profit as well as pleasure’. In the 1880s Benson met Sir Edward Burne-Jones, who would have a great influence on his life. He encouraged Benson’s interest to make things, and it is believed that Benson designed and made items of armour, crowns and models of ships...

William Arthur Smith Benson (1854-1924), a pair of brass wall lights with long extending arms. Height back plates 6 1/2", extends 20 1/2".

W.A.S. Benson. A brass and copper oil lamp with stylized leaf detail within a conical base, stood on four splayed feet. Peacock shade sold separately ...