marvelous c. 1880's american aesthetic movement interior residential oversized ornamental cast bronze gas chandelier attributed to thackara sons & co., philadelphia, pa. the grand 19th century ceiling fixture, which was later electrified around 1905-10, contains four main arms each equipped with two perkins paddle switch sockets and original shade fitters with set screws. tragically, the original blue opalescent hobnail and ruffled edge shades were completely destroyed by vandals prior to our arrival. the nicely aged surface patina was left untouched. the intricate filigree and exotic organic design motifs are exceptional both in design and execution. the tubular brass stem or posts, along with tapered and turned canopies were found with the fixture "in situ." the eight-light dining room ceiling fixture was salvaged from the extant david c. cook mansion, located in elgin, il. david c. cook, founder of a prominent religious publishing operation, built the high victorian queen anne chateauesque style mansion on the corner of gifford and division streets in 1885. in 1945 the grand residence was converted (i.e., modernized and expanded) into the mary margaret nursing home and later renamed the bowes retirement center. fortunately, interior elegant furnishings located on both the first and second floors were left intact from the time of mr. cook's occupancy. the fate of the house remains uncertain. the thackara mfg. co. of philadelphia was established in 1842 by benjamin thackara sr., who for an extended period of time, worked with cornelius & baker, which during the mid-19th century was the largest gas fixture concern in the united states. when this firm went out of business. a number of years later, mr. thackara joined the house of miskey & merrill, which firm was succeeded by thackara, buck & co., who, on the retirement of mr. buck, became thackara, sons & co. and later the thackara mfg. company.