Palace of Westminster: replicating the Gothic lanterns

A lantern at the Palace of Westminster was missing. Verdome took an original as the model and made a faithful replica to replace it, with LED lighting fitted inside.

WORKReplication

LIGHTINGLED

The new lantern has black ironwork, a brass crown and opal glass. Every decorative detail was copied from the original, and the LED lighting inside gives a modern light source without changing how the lantern looks.

Completed lamp post with its new replica Gothic lantern in place at the Palace of Westminster

The process

Copying every detail of the original

We took an original lantern as our reference. Patterns and moulds were taken from its decorative elements and its crown section, so each detail could be reproduced exactly in the new lantern.

Silicone mould of the fleur-de-lys ornament taken from the original lantern — A mould taken from the original decorative work.

Pattern of the fleur-de-lys ornament for the replica lantern — The pattern for the decorative elements.

Brass crown section of the replica lantern being made in the workshop — The crown section taking shape.

Two crowns side by side, the original and the new brass crown — The original crown beside the new one.

The result

A new lantern, true to the original

The new lantern has black ironwork, a brass crown and opal glass, with LED lighting fitted inside. It replaces the missing lantern at the Palace of Westminster, and sits in the building as if it had always been there.

Finished replica Gothic lantern on the workshop bench before dispatch — The finished lantern on the bench before dispatch.

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