Capiz Shells Chandeliers Facts and Features
These Capiz shell chandeliers are hand-designed in China and made of natural Capiz shells that have been thoroughly cleaned, polished, glazed to enhance their durability, cut in shapes and sizes, and strung individually to an invisible nylon cord, which are then gathered altogether to a round, chrome-plated metal frame. You can simply hang each Capiz shell chandelier as a hanging decor or to an existing ceiling lamp holder or suspend them from an adjustable wire rope and wire hook assembly, and illumine them with
lantern light bulbs.
When lit, even by sunlight, these Capiz shell chandeliers cast a soft and warm glow of light and while the natural-hued Capiz shells display the pearlescent and golden shadows of Capiz, while the color-dyed Capiz shells cast a colorful aura as light shines through their colored and translucent shell that is sure to brighten up any dull-looking room.
Caring for Capiz Shell Chandeliers
Capiz shell chandeliers are suitable for hanging indoors and outdoors, you can preserve the vibrant hue of the colored Capiz shell chandeliers by hanging them in an area that is away from direct sunlight and moisture, which can cause their paint to quickly fade over time. While looking delicate and discoloration and flaking are typical of Capiz shells over years of use, Capiz shells are, actually, naturally-resistant to heat and fire, cannot be easily damaged by insects and molds, and are radiation-proof. And, to keep your Capiz shell chandelier free from dirt and dust, simply wipe each shell regularly with a soft, damp cloth.
Capiz Shells: A Captivating Asian Treasure
Capiz shells are like the finest silk and ceramics, in that the best of their craft can be sourced only from the heart of Asia. In keeping with the abundance of marine resources in Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines and Indonesia, Capiz shells turned out to be one of the most coveted natural raw materials because of their beauty, versatility as a decorative material, and abundance albeit they are found only in the shallow coastal waters of a few places in the Philippines and Indonesia as they are considered a rapid-renewable resource.
They have adapted the names:
Capiz shells due to their abundance and the popularity of shell crafts that are made of them in the island of Capiz in the Western Visayas region in the Philippines, where they were first discovered and utilized for commerce and which is considered until today as their living paradise; and,
Windowpane oysters because they were used in windowpanes of the elegant homes in the Spanish era, allowing the diffusion the tropical sunlight and allowing just the right amount of light to illumine the interiors.
Preparing the Capiz shells for crafting entails a long and persistent process. They are harvested from the muddy and shallow coastal waters using nets and fishing boats, cleaned and dried so that their shell open up and their meat can be removed, cleansed, bleached, and then cut and polished to remove their jagged edges and texture, or pounded and color-dyed to be used as glaze for their final product. Truly an Asian treasure, you are sure to enjoy the elegance and tropical ambiance that these Capiz shell chandeliers have to offer.
