Outdoor copper lanterns represent a timeless style and beauty among homeowners, restaurants and city streetlights. They have graced the avenues of old Florence, Italy for centuries and adorned old churches in Boston, Charleston and Philadelphia—to name a few—for generations.
Types of Copper Lanterns
Like many things, these beautiful sources of light and décor typically come in both classically traditional and modern styles. They commonly employ propane or natural gas, but work equally as well on electricity. A particularly common style includes the French Quarter-inspired design—it incorporates the V-style, geometric look so commonly found on Bourbon Street. The thing that makes this style one of the most prominent is the tall flame inside, which can also be adjusted to fit the wishes of the owner.
Some modern lanterns resemble more of a vertical-rectangle than anything else. Think of the soundproof, glass enclosures people are sometimes put in—and add copper edging and you will get the idea. A Tudor style lantern is remarkably elegant—hanging from a J-Like copper hook and having copper cross-sectional lines on top of the class lend a sensationally timeless look to these lanterns (considered more traditional).
Not only do these items add an abundance of style and charm to any home or business, they also provide efficient lighting that is not overbearing, yet that is not too dim either (unless you choose to dim the flame, of course). Quite often, you will see them mounted on posts (e.g. around driveways, street corners and in outside nicer hotels and restaurants). These bring back quintessential memories of old foggy London streets and mysterious country chateaus.
What to Look For
Top sellers include the weathered-looked, glass pane, the mission-style sconce, green-copper colored encrusted traditional styles and rustic bronze classical lanterns that come with special hooks for tree limb hanging. The coachman style of the old English is also highly popular among residents, antique shops and quaint, sleepy lodges.
Copper lanterns are generally mixed with other metals and materials to make attractive, functional and durable fixtures. Popular color/texture combinations are antique copper, antique copper, dark copper, acid-washed brass copper and antique brass. The differences may seem a bit minimal at first glance, but choosing the right copper alloy and style is essential for coordinating with other elements (e.g. walkways, entryways, mailboxes, etc).
