(Note, this post was moved from here)
This morning I received a comment from Patricia, who is considering buying an antler chandelier, but had an interesting question about antlers. Rather than answer her in the comments area, I thought it worthy of note to make this today's post. She wrote...
I have a newbie question more than a comment. Since antlers are biological material (bone or hair), won't they degrade after a while? Is this a good material to use as a chandelier that hangs over your head? I didn't know anything about antler chandeliers until recently when my husband and I moved to Wyoming from Oklahoma to retire. We are considering buying an antler chandelier for our great room, but I was worried that it may not last.
Good question, and one I have heard before from people who are not accustomed to antlers and their diverse uses. Patricia is correct in that antlers are made of bone. As I mentioned in an earlier post, antlers are shed annually and regrown (antlers are a miracle of nature in that they grow more rapidly than anything else in the animal kingdom). As bone, they will degenerate in time. However, if not exposed to the elements, antlers can last indefinitely, which makes them perfectly suited as a material for indoor accents such as chandeliers, lamps and even furniture pieces.
People who make products from antlers do not harvest antlers from live animals. No animals (deer, elk or caribou) are harmed for their antlers. The antlers that these animals shed every year produce an abundant supply or renewable materials that are available from shed dealers around the country.
- You can browse a listing of companies in the USA and Canada that make antler chandeliers, furniture and antler carvings here.
"Faux" antler (imitation) chandeliers are also very popular and made from synthetic or resin type materials. Typically they are of lighter weight than natural antlers, which could be an issues depending on where you wanted to hang your chandelier. To see examples of faux antler chandeliers, go here.
1 comment:
I say if you can't tell it's real or not then get the cheaper imitation. Love the idea of antler chandeliers in a Wyoming home great room! Then again I've always loved the idea of rustic decorations. When I retire I hope to do the same thing as Patricia and her husband.
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