Wanna Meet My New Sconces?
A few weeks ago, Cody brought to my attention three gas/electric swivel sconces on eBay. I snapped them up. Thanks, Cody!
I snapped them up as I had the perfect location for two of them. This is the mantel in the Entry Hall. The sconce to the right is drooping and needs adjusting.
The sconces have a really interesting detail I have never seen before. The electric wires have their own pipe, then come out, run wild & free, and then tuck into the safety of the canopy. How cool is this? The left sconce screwed right into the 1894 gas pipe. I love this! The right sconce required some impressive creative thinking on my part to attach it.
The right sconce. This is why the swivel was vital as it is soooooo close to the curved wall of the Telephone Closet.
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Love the patterns on these. Amazing that they have survived all these years and not been discarded as being old fashioned. Makes you wonder what is still out there waiting to be discovered.
Glad you could make use of them! The exposed wire running to the grommet in the canopies is weird. I’ve never seen that before either.
How many more locations in the house need a swivel or specialty orientation/configuration? Between myself and Bo, and your own sleuthing, we’ve managed to outfit most of the house at this point, no? I’ve had my eyes out for them for the better part of a decade. Crazy.
I remember at some point several years ago you published a wish/hit list of things that the house needed, including several pairs of sconces at the time – it might be fun to dig that up and review, see what else still needs to be found, and what can be added to the list since then.
I like that the valve bodies have stars cast into them – they coordinate well with the corner blocks of the doors. I missed that detail when I sent them to you.
Awesome find Cody!
I think the reason you (and the collective “we”) have never seen sconces wired like this is because the electrical portion has to be an “after market modification”. Meaning, some clever soul wanted these to be electric and made it happen! Of course that is just my opinion, but until someone (Bo?) can come up with a catalog image, I’m sticking to it 😉
Oh, and I’m keeping this solution filed away for future use!
JR
Wow! I love when details can be set right. Thank you Cody!
Gorgeous detailing on the sconces! And I am still so enamoured with all the fireplace mantles and surrounds in the Cross House, I never get tired of seeing them 😍
I would suggest fixing the plaster and either paint or apply wallpaper before installing the sconces. I would also clean them up a bit before final installation. They do appear to have potential.
Very interesting. I just managed to get my first set of vintage 1929 Markel sconces working- I think you’re rubbing off on me!
I wonder if the original sconces would have been significantly smaller or also swivels?