Before. After.
My online vintage lighting store.
I found this pitiful thing online. I never saw a fixture like it. It was obviously VERY rough. It looked to be caked with bad paint jobs. Was it made of lead? Or tin? Or brass? No matter; I felt compelled to save it. Wanna see it now? Please scroll down…
ZOUNDS! The cast brass ‘shells’ hovering around the bulbs is unique.
ZOUNDS! I worked hard to protect the patina hidden under the later paint layers.
ZOUNDS! The cast brass arms are also…simply the best.
My online vintage lighting store.
11 Comments
Leave a Comment
Your email address will NEVER be made public or shared, and you may use a screen name if you wish.
You are a miracle worker!
Not all things are pleasing to all people and the beauty of an object is in the eye of the beholder. I will give you that it looks better now than when you found it. Still wouldn’t hang it in my house. Most of your inventory is better looking than this. Maybe someone who just had a bare bulb hanging from ceiling. Don’t even want to know the price you’re charging.
In thinking of the carriage house, it has seen so many changes that it’s difficult to know where to begin. And given time and money constraints, choices are limited. I liked a porch on the front. It completed the house in its change from a “garage”. A nice transition from inside to outside. Now it seems like the side of the house. I see a front door with stained glass with stained glass transom instead of a sidelight. Better fit for space in and out. I could see the turret extended to 1st floor for a two story bay window. The new porch roof a shed roof with open gable. Steps could come off the front or side and gable would let more light in. So you have a 1894 building, a craftsman/bungalow downstairs, late 1800’s upstairs, house front that’s neither one thing or another but leaning towards Victorian. You should go up on the roof and sing “If I were a rich man” the position is open. Oh and you have more imagination and inspiration than anyone that I know
To bad you can’t moth ball carriage house, cover it with big tarp like you had a termite problem and get back to the Cross house. I want to see you living there and enjoying it full time.
Ummm…golly.
Well some people read and think about what you say and do and follow your blog because you’re interesting and entertaining. Wish I was a neighbor. This 69 yr old could come over and offer opinions freely.
Mark, my friend… Opinions don’t get the work done!
If I were a neighbor I would be helping when I could, or at least bringing snacks!
And on the note of the lamp, shes gorgeous, patina and all.
What would happen if you took that fixture, made it all shiny and gave it a patina similar to what manufacturer did to it. Value go up or down? Would it appear better or not. Would that offend your restoration esthetics. Me, I don’t like bare bulbs or MCM. I want hand blown glass shades on my light fixtures. Fortunately my house still has its original 1915-18 electric ceiling lights and wall sconces with some of the original oil lamps and capped gas pipes sticking out of the wall.
Removing the patina of age usually reduces value. Same with furniture. Paint it or refinish it and you’ve reduced value of a vintage or antique piece.
That isn’t a MCM fixture. It’s probably closer to the age of your house.
When electricity wasn’t that common, bare bulbs were a thing as it was showing off you had electricity.
That is a lovely fixture and you saw the potential. I really like the detailing and how unusual it has no shade at all.
Thank you, Mary.
Exposed bulbs were common to the era as electric lighting was still new and wondrous. People liked seeing magical bulbs.
I adore this fixture.
Ooh ahh … unique. I’m loving the shells. ❤️
I’ll now ruminate on my obsession with the Cross house phone room. You know the one … the tiny room with the sweet round window … with the shell. 🌻
Lovely transformation, very unique.