Скачать или смотреть American Neon vs English Chandeliers: The Masterful Traditions Of Each Light

In this episode of Great Works, we meet two master light makers who are keeping their family legacies — and national traditions — alive.

First, in Queens, New York, Robbie Ingui carries on his father's craft at Artistic Neon, one of the last shops still hand-bending neon tubes in the United States. Then we travel to Sittingbourne, England, where David Wilkinson runs Wilkinson Ltd, a third-generation family business dedicated to manufacturing and restoring ornate crystal chandeliers.

Through both stories, we explore the skill, patience, and pride it takes to create handmade light fixtures—and why these fading crafts still shine so brightly. In America, neon once lit the modern age. In Britain, lead crystal chandeliers defined elegance and innovation. Today, both makers serve devoted clients who value these glowing traditions far beyond just flipping a switch.

#greatworks #glassware #chandelier #neon #craftsman

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:36 Artistic Neon
1:36 Wilkinson Ltd
2:48 The workshops
5:23 How neon color works
7:20 The many steps of crystal chandeliers making
8:20 Sketching a neon sign
9:15 Glass workshop
10:23 Leaks in the neon
11:23 Why cooling glass is important
12:08 Heating the neon tubes
13:42 Making a chandelier arm
14:59 The handmade traditions of both crafts
17:11 Bending it together
17:58 Manipulating molten glass
19:42 Bombarding with neon gas
21:20 Both masters review each other's work