William F. Shaw
Girandole (part of a set)

CultureAmerican
Titles
  • Girandole (part of a set)
Datec. 1849–1852
Made inBoston, Massachusetts, United States
MediumPatinated brass, marble, and glass
Dimensions13 3/4 × 6 9/16 × 3 1/2 in. (34.9 × 16.7 × 8.9 cm)
Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase funded by the Houston Junior Woman's Club
Object numberB.94.7.3
Current Location
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Belter Parlor
On view

Explore Further

Department
Bayou Bend
Object Type
Description

William F. Shaw’s architectonic girandoles are the most memorable expression of the Gothic revival in American lighting devices. In 1845 he established both a factory and a store, advertising that he retailed American and English fixtures. The girandoles in the Bayou Bend collection depict the Bigelow Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Notable as America’s first planned, nonsectarian graveyard, its chapel was designed by Jacob Bigelow (1787–1879), one of the cemetery’s founders. Coincidentally, William F Shaw is interred there.

Technical notes: The chapel and floral-scrolled branches are separate castings. These girandoles’ bronze patination and gilt highlights are exceedingly rare. The centerpiece’s marble foot may represent an old replacement.

Related examples: Howe and Warren 1976, p. 62; Hanks and Peirce 1983, p. 83; Bacot 1987, pp. 154, 188–89; Douglas 1994.

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.


Provenance[Galleria Hugo, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 1994.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
[no inscriptions]
Cast on back: WF SHAW; 174 WASHINGTON; BOSTON; PATENT. DEC.18 1849

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Girandole (part of a set)
William F. Shaw
c. 1849–1852
Patinated brass, marble, and glass
B.94.7.1
Girandole (part of a set)
William F. Shaw
c. 1849–1852
Patinated brass, marble, and glass
B.94.7.2
Set of Girandoles
Isaac F. Baker
c. 1849–1851
Silver-plated brass, marble, and glass
B.70.54.1-.3
Chandelier
F. & C. Osler
c. 1860
Glass
94.921
scan from file photograph
Isaac F. Baker
c. 1849–1851
Gilded brass, marble, and glass
B.76.194.1
Girandole (part of a set)
Isaac F. Baker
c. 1849–1851
Gilded brass, marble, and glass
B.76.194.3
Girandole (part of a set)
Isaac F. Baker
c. 1849–1851
Gilded brass, marble, and glass
B.76.194.2
A part of the Balaustrata
Romualdo Alinari
1850–1859
Albumen silver print
2000.280.46
Solar Lamp
Cornelius & Co.
c. 1843–1851
Glass, brass, iron, marble, and mercury
B.2004.3.A-.D
Chandelier
no date
Cut glass
94.839.2
Chandelier
no date
Cut glass
94.839.1
Chandelier
c. 1800–1820
Ormolu and cut glass
94.1094