Meet Carlos Alcazar
Craftsmanship Series: Carlos Alcazar The Chandelier Surgeon
Greetings!
Our second story in the Antique Resources Craftsman Series is "The Chandelier Surgeon", Carlos Alcazar. Carlos is the meticulous craftsman who rewires, cleans and ensures every component of the chandeliers and sconces are in optimal condition for installation. Keep in mind that no two lighting fixtures are alike. 

Rewiring chandeliers and sconces to bring them up to today’s electrical standard is an art form that requiring patience, problem-solving, and precision. Some chandeliers can take more than one month to refurbish for a variety of reasons such as this intricate Louis XV style hand-woven beaded crystal silver leaf chandelier that was originally for candles.
Carlos recently worked on the Maria Theresa chandelier below (entirely made of crystal) that was so dirty, it required all the crystals to be taken off, cleaned and restrung. Chandeliers and sconces made entirely of crystal or glass may require that the inside tubes of the arms and body stem be cleaned in addition to the outside components.
For other chandeliers and sconces, the metals may have to be soldered or polished. Then there are other fixtures made of wood, porcelain, cloth, animal parchment, alabaster, and even gemstones. After the components of the fixture are ready, Carlos needs to plan if the electrical wire can be threaded through the arm tubes or needs to be left on the outside of the arms as is done with chandeliers and sconces that were originally for candles. With lighting that has wire on the outside, Carlos figures out how to camouflage the wire. Then, the appropriate sockets, candle sleeves, and wire are selected.

Many factors can make even a two-arm wall sconce more complicated than a whole ten arm chandelier! If the tube arms are too narrow, extremely curvaceous, or damaged by previous work, threading the wire can be a challenge, as with these Maison Jansen wall sconces seen below.
The patience of a saint is required as it is challenging and extremely involved.

Sometimes it can take several days to run a wire through a sconce. When it comes to antiques you can’t rush things. - Carlos Alcazar
Misconceptions
When considering the purchase of an antique European chandelier, misconceptions arise. 

The most common is that all that is needed is to use a converter. But that is not accurate or safe,” said Carlos. “Keep in mind that you are using two different systems and while it may work for a while. Using an adapter will wear out the electrical wire. They should be replaced with new wires that meet U. S. codes with the majority being 18-gauge wire."

"The United States uses 120 volts at 60 Hz, while Europe commonly uses 220-240 volts at 50 Hz. Even the wiring of a Mid-Century fixture can degrade over time. There are such things as adapters that can be screwed onto the actual incandescent light bulb, but they are often thrown out when changing the light bulbs and are not available for base size sockets.”

Another misconception is that antique lighting is not energy efficient. However, Carlos ensures the fixtures use either incandescent or LED bulbs. “We recommend using LED bulbs. There are LEDs that mimic incandescent light called 'soft light' and are not as bright as the LEDs called 'daylight' and give off a warm light. A 5.5 LED bulb is equivalent to a sixty-watt bulb. This matters significantly if a fixture requires twenty-four bulbs. Twenty-four LEDs only require 135 watts while an incandescent bulb uses 1440 watts.”

(3) Sometimes people get discouraged with the weight of antique chandeliers. Antique chandeliers can be quite heavy as they are made of hand cast bronze or brass and drenched with heavy crystals. Generally, most joints are fine up to 50 pounds but may need additional blockers, or braces to distribute the weight. However, your average chandelier is less than 50 lbs. Your electrician should inform you what type of cross bar is necessary to support the weight of the chandelier. We do not supply ceiling covers and other accessories as they are not part of the fixture, often are old and don’t fit American standards. The electrician installing the chandelier should know what hardware and accessories are needed for the specific electrical requirements of your home.

Maribel Weisz reminds us that this is why Carlo’s talent is beyond electrical work, he considers all the factors unique to the light fixture the client is purchasing.
 
When asked what he likes best about his work Carlos describes the challenges:
“The more challenging; the more fulfilling it is. Because they are all different, it is a creative process to figure out what will work best for this fixture to return it to its original glory. It is so rewarding to see a fixture lit. Before we send anything out we test and light it.”

Carlos’s received his training at a young age. His father fixed antique furniture. As a young child in Mexico, Carlos recalls watching and working with his father and realizing patience and problem solving are necessary to restore antiques. Carlos came to Antique Resources eight years ago and always has work to do due to unique and varied types of lighting Antique Resources offers.
House Calls
A couple of weeks ago, Carlos mentions, "We were taking six Murano chandeliers to a customer where they were taken apart and reassembled after the client’s electrician connected them to the electrical boxes.”

Antique Resources offers customers within a 10-mile radius the re-assembling of Murano chandeliers in cases where the contractor installing it does not want responsibility or liability for potentially breaking them.

Antique Resources is committed to providing exceptional service and customer experience, so Carlos also makes house visits with clients to troubleshoot a glitch or clean fixtures, provided the ceilings are hung on ceilings under 12 feet tall.
When Carlos is not rewiring antique lighting, he can be found playing in a heavy metal band or snuggling with his beloved cat, Shuri.
Q: Eighty Murano Chandeliers were delivered earlier this year, how do you select which ones to rewire? 
A: If there is enough interest then Carlos works on that particular one and the customer returns to see it finished. There is always work to do.
We value our clients and want to ensure they find the installation process stress free and enjoy their historic lights for years to come. We hope this newsletter has inspired you to consider a chandelier in your home and welcome you to visit and see these magnificent lights in person. Thank you for your business and support, and remember we always love referrals!