Harbour Lantern
A tall hurricane lantern with a hand-blown glass chimney and a folding bail handle. Rated for outdoor use and salt air.
£340
Tansyford Makers
Ostrevane Lantern Works
Hand-raised copper lanterns, made one at a time.
About the workshop
Every Ostrevane lantern starts as a flat sheet of copper. It is annealed, raised over a stake with a planishing hammer and seamed by hand, so no two lanterns have quite the same curve.
The workshop began with a single lantern made for a friend's narrowboat. People kept asking where it came from, and the second lantern followed, then the tenth. Today the bench turns out a few dozen pieces a season, each stamped with the maker's mark on the underside of the cap.
What we make
Porch Sconce
A wall-mounted lantern with a riveted back plate, wired for a low-voltage LED filament bulb.
£260
Garden Lantern
A squat, wide-based lantern for tables and steps, made for candles up to 7 cm across.
£180
Pierced Tealight Cup
A small raised cup with a pierced star pattern that throws light across the table.
£45
How it is made
- 1
Anneal
The copper is heated until it glows dull red and quenched, which makes it soft enough to move under the hammer.
- 2
Raise
Course by course, the sheet is hammered over a steel stake until the body of the lantern takes its shape.
- 3
Seam and solder
Seams are folded and sweated with silver solder, so they stay watertight for decades.
- 4
Patina
Each lantern is left to weather or given a verdigris or dark bronze patina by hand.
Questions
Can a lantern stay outside all year?
Yes. Copper and brass do not rust. The surface will darken and may turn green over time, which is part of the finish.
Do you make lanterns to order?
Commissions are taken twice a year. Sizes, glass and patina can be adjusted; the raising method stays the same.
How do I clean one?
Wipe the glass with a soft cloth. Leave the metal alone unless you want the bright finish back, in which case a paste of lemon and salt works.