The Cody Scores. And more!
My online vintage lighting store.
A short while back, Cody emailed me. He had found an incredible fixture on Facebook Marketplace, and attached an image.
It was listed as: $500 or best offer.
It was, indeed, incredible. Amazing, even. But it was also six hours away, and I had zero desire to drive twelve hours for an old light, no matter how incredible.
So, I wrote the seller: “If I pay full price, can you meet me half-way?”
They agreed!
A few days later the fixture was in my car for the drive home.
Then it sat and sat and sat in my office. It had been spray-painted gold and I had NO energy to work on it. But…Cody was coming for a 10-day visit. Would he be willing to undertake the task of restoration?
He would. And did. OMG!!!!!!!! The fixture is a circa-1905 Arts & Crafts-style gas/electric chandelier. Note the twisted ceramic “candle” covers for the gas jets. It is a miracle that these are in situ and undamaged. Even the green slag glass panels appear original and undamaged.
Zounds!
Zounds!
This is one of the three finest vintage fixtures I have ever offered for sale. And the current price reflects this!
When I had met with the seller, and after I loaded the fixture into my minivan, he had asked: “I don’t understand why you didn’t want the companion fixture?”
Huh? WHAT companion fixture????????
It developed that he did, indeed, have a companion fixture, but his daughter forgot to list it on Facebook.
I asked that he send an image, but I had NO desire to do another six-hour road trip. The image though arrived a few days later. Geez. I sent it to Cody. “What should I do?”
He replied: “I will be in that area next week to visit a friend. I could pick it up!”
And so, as the Gods were obviously on my side, I said: “OK!”
Cody picked up the fixture, restored it, and then brought it to Kansas.
Wanna see?
OMG!!!!!!!! Forty years ago, the seller had removed both fixtures from a house in St. Louis which was being demolished. They had been in storage ever since.
Zounds! Again, circa-1905 but in the Mission-style.
Note the four glass Mission-style square “candle” covers, covering the gas jets.
After I had picked up the green slag glass fixture, Cody texted regarding another find, about two hours away from me in Kansas. The images showed…something I had never seen previously. Cody and I furiously debated about its originality. Was it vintage? Or from the 1980s? Or was it partly vintage and party 1980s, being cobbled together?
The price ($50) made the debate moot. For, at that price, who cared?
Zounds! The instant I had the fixture in hand I knew: This WAS all circa-1905.
Zounds! The wood body is remarkable (I have not seen anything like it), and the green slag glass shade are to-die-for.
Ready for…more????????
A few months previous to all this, an eBay seller that I have purchased a lot of old lights from over the years contacted me about a vintage light. It was also listed on Facebook Marketplace, but was way too far away for him to pick it up. “But, it’s about 90 minutes from you.”
I gasped when I looked at the attached picture. And a road trip ensued.
Wanna see?
Zounds! Also circa-1905, and all electric, with a delicious Japanned finish.
Zounds! The fixture sold two weeks after I listed it for sale.
The shades appear to be original and are delicious.
The fixture in its original setting. I shake my head that the home owner parted with the fixture.
The eBay seller was delighted when I sent him an unbidden finder’s fee.
And Cody had the same reaction when I sent him three finder’s fees.
My online vintage lighting store.
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So Beautiful! The wooden one with green slag glass shades I covet!
I know you want period but you also want electric/gas combos. Will you be keeping these for the Cross House? After all, people redecorate over the years and it’s possible light fixtures would be replaced as well with changing fashions. There must be a space that could accommodate both of these. Fabulous finds.
Some home owners do bizarre things. Like move into a Craftsman and then paint all of the gorgeous original wood white to “brighten” up the room. Or take down entire walls (with original built ins) in order to open up the rooms into one large space. Sacrilege!
If I put one of those fixtures in my house I would definitely change my decorating scheme to complement them. In fact, I did. I got a lovely huge shade for a fixture for my dining room that had acanthus leaves with some remains of green paint with touches of red. So my dining room got green washed walls and there are touches of black, red and gold. I had artwork in a red frame already and some ceramics my brother brought me from Greece that were black and gold. Sounds a bit hideous but they all work together.
I would be loathe to part with that first fixture.
So amazingly beautiful. And you are such a conscientious and honest businessman. Sir Ross! 🙂
Wow, you hit the jackpot. Each one is so beautiful. Great finds!
My 1984 house on a hill above a lake got retooled into as much mission style as we can afford and fits into the extant footprint. The mission lights are calling me, but I just can’t see putting 1905 into 1984. Guess I’ll just have to come back and drool over the photos again and again.
Lovely lights, and it is obvious why people help you out: you are a pleasure to deal with. Bravo to all.