Major Lust. Major Pain.
Today I receive an email from Bo Sullivan.
Bo is way cool. He know ALL about old houses and old lighting and old wallpaper and old toilets and, well, just about everything old.
During my great search to discover information about the original 1894 stairhall wallpaper in the Cross House, of which I discovered but fragments, Bo proved to be the hero of the adventure when he discovered the answers to the mystery.
It was then that I fell in love with Bo.
Today though, I am quite vexed with Bo. You see, he sent me an email with links to three INCREDIBLE lighting fixtures which would be perfect for the Cross House. PERFECT.
But I cannot afford them. The fixtures are on eBay, and it is not so much what they might sell for which worries me but what they will ultimately cost to restore. The fixture were (and still are) gas fixtures, so they need to be converted. While I restore vintage lighting, I never work with fixtures of this vintage (I am a post-1910 lighting guy) and the cost to convert the fixtures would be $$$$$$$$. Then there would also be the scary cost to find the correct-style vintage glass shades. A big OUCH.
Sigh. Sigh.
SIGH.
It is painful to see something perfect for my beloved Cross House but not have the means to do anything about it.
All old house restorers will know this pain.
So, you see why I am vexed with Bo. Well…I am not really vexed with Bo, of course, but rather about the magical prize dangled in front of me…which I cannot reach.
Fixture #1. This is so wonderful and rare that it is painful to look at this image. My God, what this would look like, restored & resplendent, in the parlor of the Cross House!
I gasp in abject wonder.
Fixture #2. It is hard to appreciate the extraordinary beauty of this fixture as it is pretty banged up. It still makes me weak-kneed.
Fixture #3. A six-arm stunner. The cost to purchase just the appropriate vintage glass shades make my heart shudder.
Too. Totally. Fabulous.
I do not know when the original lighting of the Cross House was removed, but suspect it was during the 1950 motel conversion.
What is so tragic is that such lighting, in 1950, would have been considered of no value.
Now, WHERE is my time-travel machine so I can go to a 1950 Cross House yard sale and pick up the original lighting for a few bucks?
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I have confidence in you, Ross. Look at everything you have accomplished so far! You can do this too. It may take years, working little by little,and saving little by little, but I think you can do it!
I ran across this and have spent the last two days devouring your words. I am sad this story is suspended and will wait with anticipation for the next chapters. Thanks so much for detailing your work. I am too old and not near talented enough to start a project of this size and I am extremely jealous. If I could go back in time I would take a route that would lead me on a journey like yours. Godspeed.
Hi Deb!
Thank you for your kind words!
Fear not though! The story is not suspended; I am just between posts.
Every week the Cross House and carriage house move slightly forward in terms of restoration, even if some weeks the progress is minimul.
I have literally wasted hours reading your journey with the Cross House and can’t wait to hear more! You’re doing a fabulous job and I am envious of everything 🙂