Saenger Theater Chandelier Restoration - Mobile, AL
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Designed by notable architect Emile Weil, the Saenger Theatre was opened in 1927. It became the sixty-first theatre in the Saenger Theatre chain founded by J.H and A.D Saenger of New Orleans. Glorified as "Alabama's Greatest Showplace" the Seanger Theatre has been entertaining the South for over 80 years.

Throughout the years, the Saenger Theatre of Mobile, Alabama has provided the area with an amazing amount of theatrical entertainment on the live stage and in motion picture entertainment. In early 1970, the Seanger Theatre was closed by its owners, ABC/Paramount, and was stripped of its production equipment. Soon before it was set to be demolished, the University of South Alabama stepped in and saved the historic landmark from destruction.

On October 1, 1999, the City of Mobile, Alabama purchased the Saenger from the University of South Alabama. A newly formed non-profit organization, called the Center for the Living Arts, Inc., was created early in the year 2000 to operate the Saenger. The Center for the Living Arts, with donations from the community, restored the historic Mobile Saenger.

Grand Light has been contracted to restore a chandelier for the historic Saenger Theater in Mobile, Alabama. Originally built in the 1920's, the chandelier was too large to be built and then transported so it was built inside of the theater and has never actually seen the light of day. Grand Light's crew travelled down to Mobile to assist in the disassembly of the chandelier and will transport it back to Grand Light in New Haven, Connecticut. Once back in Connecticut the team will get to work refurbishing the chandelier.

This chandelier will undergo several processes during the course of its restoration. The first steps are the evaluation of the fixture, finish, electrical and mechanical condition and the disassembly of all components for mechanical inspection and re-wiring. This chandelier is a large ring measuring approx 10 feet in diameter with a center shaft that measures approx 8 feet tall. At the bottom of the large ring there are three steel frames with over 10,000 faceted crystal graduated chains. Initial inspection discovers in access of 125 mechanical failures within the crystal support frames. Each of these failures will require replacement of existing wire and solder with new stainless steel wire and heat penetration solder. This fixture has approx 163 lamp sockets in four separate clusters, all of which will be re-wired using UL listed components and tested in accordance with UL standard

Once the fixture was complete, we followed our standard of performing hi-pot testing to assure that the wiring was in accordance with UL standards.

Then started the long transport back to Mobile Al and a two day assembly process. The large crystal baskets were transported in specially made crates and all the other components were carefully wrapped and boxed. The assembly took place inside the theater and lasted two days. The finished product looks flawless.