William Sugg & Co

Cromartie

(This is an element of ‘Lighting‘ – ‘Interior Lighting‘)

The Cromartie range of gas lights were designed by David W Sugg, the eldest son of William Thomas Sugg. At the time that interior gas fixtures were largely upright open flame with a piece of decorative glass protecting the flame, the Cromartie was a revolution in design. The ventilating sun burner was I am sure the inspiration for the Cromartie which is known as a recuperative lamp. The principle is to feed the gas down to the burner whilst the hot products of combustion pass up the coaxial tube surrounding the supply pipe so pre-heating the gas. The open flame pointing downwards spreads out in a 360 degree ‘fan’ as shown early in the ‘Collectors‘ section within a glass globe so that the products curl round and pass back up the chimney.

The bodies were produced in the most decorative ceramic shapes and clours as shown below. Pendant, wall mounted and even desk lamp styles were produced.

 Cromartie Medina 6 &10ft 550 pix

Cromartie 2 wall mount illus 550 pix

Cromartie etc for Chandler 550 pix

Original hand coloured page prepared for ‘Lighting by Gas’ – Dean Chandler –
carries the description:
“Sugg Recuperative Gas Lamps and Fittings for special situations.”

 Cromartie Advertising Cards rot 20 cut 550 pix

Original Set of Three Full Colour Advertising Cards
Marked April 1889

Cromartie Advertising Cards Reverse Rot cut 550 pix

Cromartie table lamp pg 11 250pix

Cromartie Reverse side of all pages rot 550

Cromartie Mecca 550

 Cromartie 2 260   Cromartie 1 260     

Around the time of the takeover of the Sugg Company by Thorn Electrical Industries The London Museum was presented with a number of Sugg artefacts including this delightful pottery bodied Cromartie which is probably shaped to throw the flue products away from the wall. As you can see it is physically quite small. There are 5 trays of burners and components like the one below which holds the Cromartie. All 5 trays have been included under ‘Burners’ Introduction

Trays of burners 4 cut 550

Cromartie cat front P1060800  Cromartie Instr 1 P1060797  Cromartie Instr 2 P1060796

The Cromartie literature of June 1888 shown here illustrates how to light and how to clean the glass of these unusual fixtures. Click to enlarge and click again on the top right symbol to read.

 

UNDER CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT – PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER

Copyright © Chris Sugg 2006-14

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Site Background & Header

The background to the site is a modern picture of Westminster, the ‘home’ of William Sugg for so many years. It was taken from the roof of The House of Lords during a visit by the Heritage Group of CIBSE in 2004 and centres on Westminster Abbey. The header carries a woodcut of ‘Vincent Works’, the Sugg factory, which might well have been visible from this vantage point. William used this on one of his letter heads. The first and oldest logo also shows the intimate connection with Westminster as it carries the Westminster portcullis with the inscription ‘en avant’ – ‘in advance’. The second logo replaced the earlier one around 1920 and was used right the way through the century until the ‘modern’ era when the ‘flame’ logo was applied to the new era of gas heating equipment with the new factory in Crawley.

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William Sugg & Co