Skip to content
Townhouse Trivia: Shining Some Light on Gas-Electric Fixtures

Townhouse Trivia: Shining Some Light on Gas-Electric Fixtures

(Courtesy of rinaudosreproductions.com)

Do you ever wonder why the original lighting fixtures in your New York brownstone have one bulb facing upward and one bulb hanging downward? 
During the brownstone boom, electricity was still a new technology. It was sort of like the wireless home technology of today – desirable, but not totally reliable. So brownstone builders and buyers tended to back up electric conveniences with gas. That’s why those up-and-down lighting fixtures were so popular: the upward bulb was a gas light which allowed the heat to rise, while the downward bulb was electric. (Of course, today it seems dangerous having the gas running next to the electric filament.) 
Interestingly, the Biltmore mansion in North Carolina was created in the same era. It has the old manual serving elevator alongside an equal-sized, but unreliable, electric elevator. The extra expense was evidently no object compared to the peace of mind of knowing their dinner would never get cold downstairs just because the power went out.
Are you interested in buying New York Townhouses? For more information on New York townhouses and New York City Brownstones for sale , contact VandenbergThe Townhouse Experts TM. We specialize in brownstone realty.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

Mar 21, 2021

Here’s to Spring and Renewal! 

One of the beauties of townhouse living is that many of us have been able to stay in...

Read More
Sep 27, 2019

New York City’s ‘Castle Homes’ are Glorious — and Expensive

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city’s elite built mansions along Fifth Avenue modeled on French...

Read More
Sep 5, 2019

New to Market! 44 West 95th Street

The Vandenberg Team is thrilled to announce the launch of our new exclusive listing: 44 West 95th Street. Classic...

Read More

Are You Ready to Buy?

Please contact Cathy Connolly for more information.

dexter weekly update

Mondays with Dexter

Start your week with our townhouse market updates.

"*" indicates required fields

Im interested in