Lighting – Page 18 – Restoring Ross

I have been restoring vintage lights since I was a teenager in the mid-1970s. An Interstate highway was being rammed through the city where I lived, and I ran (steps ahead of the bulldozers, and with my shag haircut flying) from one incredible building to another, and from one incredible house to another, and salvaged everything I could.

My poor, bewildered parents. Their garage was soon chock-a-block with what I thought were treasures beyond compare. But which they thought was just useless flotsam. I did though once overhear my mom say: “Well, at least he’s not out doing drugs.”

However, when all their boring lights were systematically replaced with the most stunning lights they had ever seen – and all for free, rewired, and restored – they soon had second thoughts about the flotsam. (I paid for new parts by mowing lawns!)

Fast forward many decades.

One day I realized I had a pile of old lights rusting away in my basement. I hauled a few out, restored them (bringing back many old memories), and listed them on eBay.

At the time I had no idea, not a clue, that I had just radically changed my life.

Within months my life was unrecognizable, and I was working full time restoring vintage lighting and selling the fixtures across America.

My new e-commerce website is now online. Whoee! Please feel free to shop and purchase here:

The Old Above

My blog post are below.

Currently displaying blog entries in Chronological Order. Switch to Most Recent.

Currently displaying blog entries in Most Recent Order. Switch to Chronological Order.

Gobsmacked by Porcelier!

Posted on October 29, 2016 •

For many decades, Porcelier made some of the finest lighting fixtures and house wares. There’s a book on their work: Collector’s Guide to Porcelier China Around 1950, Porcelier updated their line of lighting. Some new fixtures were introduced but, mostly, existing fixtures received subtle updates. These latter fixtures were identical to what was produced a decade previously,…

My Bouncing Heart.

Posted on October 27, 2016 •

The seller, luckily, was gracious, and gave me a full refund ASAP. My hope is that in time, in time, in time, I will find a matching 16-1/2-inch wide shade, and the glory which once was will rise again. My heart is vaguely hopeful. My…