Jenny Oldakerexplores the genesis of Jamb’s striking Mask Globe, inspired by an original antique and given fresh appeal through a painstaking design process
OBJECT OF DESIRE
Whether suspended grandly in a porch or presiding over an entrance hall, the globe lantern has long been a staple of country-house style. The design gained popularity in Victorian times, and its pleasing lines and potential for embellishment have helped maintain its appeal.
The globe lantern has become the signature shape of the lighting collection at renowned furniture dealers and designers Jamb, founded by Will Fisher and Charlotte Freemantle. It’s a perfect fit with the company’s aesthetic, which draws on the ethos of the English country house and the enduring quality of well-crafted pieces. The Mask Globe sits at the heart of this collection, as it was one of the first designs created by the team. ‘It proved to us that we could perfect the globe-shaped lantern, a fitting that’s become synonymous with our company,’ says Will.
The design is based on an original antique. ‘Many of our lights are born from fragments of old lanterns found at auctions over the years,’ Charlotte explains. ‘This process starts by taking a single part of what remains of these antiques, and visualising how it would have looked in its former glory. The Mask Globe is based on a lantern that was originally decorated about its middle with alternating masks of Neptune and circular panes of glass.’
The journey began when the pair bought an antique lantern in a state of disrepair – it was missing both the original top and bottom sections, and only one of the masks that once decorated the waistband remained. ‘Instead of making an exact copy, we split the concept in two and from this single antique lantern, both the Mask Globe and our Convex Globe lantern were born,’ says Will. Perfecting the design was a painstaking business that required skill and care: ‘We went through endless iterations to make sure our design was right,’ says Will. ‘For some of our lanterns, this process can last years, as we’re determined to
