Color of Vintage Bathroom Tiles

The intention of all my blogs and articles is twofold. First and foremost is to give the reader “permission” to think, choose, and be comfortable with their own decisions concerning purchase, placement, and installation of vintage lighting (or any other item) in their home. Secondly is to give the reader useful information.

Somehow an “only this way is correct” authoritative mentality seems to be the norm, freezing people from making their own decisions for fear of doing it wrong. We should be giving credence to our own unique preferences and each of us should be guided by our intuition and sense of style. The whole arts & crafts movement was based on individuals wanting choice from the mass-produced “this is what you need (want)” commercialism. We need to give this permission back to the individual. Art Deco can be beautifully combined with Arts & Crafts or Spanish Revival or Victorian. This is exactly what one would have seen in the common home of the early 20th Century. Sure, using a specific term to describe a specific item gives one the air of authority, but as the bumper sticker says: Question Authority. And not just the kind with a badge.

It is nice to learn what style our home is, but not to then be tied to whatever design is designated to that style. This was brought home in a recent blog I read where someone asked what color of white tile would be most appropriate in the 1" hex tile for a period bathroom. (Not what color of tile, but what color of white tile). This seemingly had stopped the homeowner from moving forward. I answered whatever shade of white you like, AND trust your decision. I recently completed a “period” bath using new 1" white hex floor tile. In the bath I also installed a vintage claw-foot tub, 2 vintage white pedestal sinks (from different manufacturers, 16 inches apart), 3 vintage white porcelain wall sconces and 2 antique white porcelain ceiling fixtures with milk glass shades. All of the colors of white were original, appropriate AND none of them exactly matched. The bathroom is fabulous.

Point being, there were a lot of choices back then, as now, and any of them would be a correct choice.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

If You Have To Ask...

Another question we get on occasion and one we recently received was if the multi-colors on a vintage fixture was original. Many vintage light fixtures had multi- colored highlights, often referred to as polychrome or polychromatic, from the Greek words meaning multi color. Monochrome is used to describe a fixture of a single color.

Some vintage fixtures have retained their polychrome finish very nicely, muted shades of reds, greens, and blues. This coloration was never meant to be the focus on the fixture, but rather the "accessory" to it. These colors were almost always pastel, and usually applied by air brush; the colors faded nicely into the background. Thinking of Linda's earrings here.

What we are seeing out there today are people trying to repaint the colors or simply repainting the entire fixture in colors, totally absent of any consideration of what the original fixture looked like. In the catalogue section of our website there are numerous fixtures with a polychrome finish, all in muted shades of color, all appropriate for the fixture and time. None of the examples have brightly painted reds, greens or blues, much less the bright purples, hot pink, or vibrant yellows some are using to re-paint vintage fixtures.

So yes, multi-colors were original to certain vintage fixtures, as in the images above, and they will look right when you see them. If you have to ask, then you know the answer.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Baked Light

The newest addition to our website is a pair of 1920s solid bronze wall sconces. What is rather unusual about these is their original shades are made of Bakelite.

http://vintagelights.com/product/1/solid-bronze-pair-of-vintage-wall-sconces-with-original-bakelite-shades.html

Bakelite was a forerunner to plastic and was developed near the turn of the last century. Dr. Baekland established the General Bakelite Company in 1910, to supply the rapidly growing demand for a plastic type product.

We occasionally see bakelite used in various parts of vintage lighting fixtures and even less frequently we see bakelite shades. Bakelite has a beautiful glow and was manufactured in some great colors, like tortoise shell, wood grain, and bright solid colors which makes it a very collectible item in today's vintage marketplace. One drawback of the bakelite shades was their tendency to turn black where the heat of the light bulb was most intense. With every increase in light bulb wattage this problem increased. You can see the blackened centers of the shades in the above image. The dark discoloration is much more noticeable when the light bulb is off.

Vintage bakelite is very collectible and an easy, non-destructive test to determine if an object is true bakelite or just plastic made to look like bakelite is to wet a q-tip with 409 cleaner and gently rub in a discreet place on the piece. True bakelite will discolor the q-tip in a yellow to brown color. Plastic will not discolor the q-tip.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

It Takes a Keen Eye...

The above image illustrates what a typical fixture looks like before and after we get our hands on it. Before we purchase any fixture, such as the one on the left, we have to know a few things about it.
First and foremost, is it appealing to me and would others find it appealing, what should it look like when refinished, what would it take to get it into condition to sell, what would the projected selling price be, can the wiring be replaced and if so, what it would take to restore the wiring to a safe working condition, what pieces, if any, are missing, who would the target purchaser be, does anything about it look out of place, are its proportion and scale correct? Then a quick check for damage and anything that is hidden or concealed. And the final question, is this something we can make a profit on or in lieu of profit, is there any other compelling reason to purchase it? Typical market research, but it must be done almost instantly, with authority, and with an absolute belief that I will make the right choice to pursue it or not.
I used to have to think about all these questions; now it is second nature. I can decide if I am interested in a used fixture in seconds, How? I listen to my eyes and I trust that my brain knows the answer. It does.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

A MUST READ

Insightful, witty, amazing images, well written, factual, inspiring, (feel free to add your own):

http://blog.vandm.com/2010/05/listen-to-your-eyes-patrick-brady-at.html

Looking Outside the Square Tube Box

Once again, in a conversation with a customer, I was reminded of the curious path I have taken to get here. This customer had a concern that a certain fixture did not fit their perception of an "Arts & Crafts" fixture.

When I first became aware that I was living in a "Craftsman" home and that a sideboard I saved from my grandfather's basement 10 years prior was in the "Mission" style, I began to really appreciate this unique American style. But along with that I had somewhere picked up the misconception that Arts & Crafts light fixtures were square, fit into a certain style box, and were pretty much utilitarian in nature. Boy was I wrong. The Arts & Crafts movement was all about just the opposite.

But I understood where this customer's perception came from, as I had been there. Frequently the 3 terms used to describe this style are Craftsman, Mission, and Arts & Crafts. And sometimes they can be used interchangeably. Each has a different flavor of the time and I think a lot of folks, like me, initially do not understand the difference. These easily recognizable "Mission" fixtures are just a small part of the richness of the Arts & Crafts era.

Yes, the square fixtures are from the Arts & Crafts period, yes, the square fixtures look terrific in a Craftsman home and yes, these fixtures are also of the Mission style.

I think I was so enamored by the furniture of the Stickley era that I associated everything Arts & Crafts to that particular style.

I am glad I looked around that era and expanded my view to outside of the square tube.

Open your eyes and listen. PB

www.vintagelights.com

The Real Story out of the Box

Reading through one of our favorite magazines yesterday, Cottages & Bungalows, I noticed a story box with suggestions about where to go for additional information on bungalow styles. There were 4 books recommended, suggesting they can be found at Amazon. Should it be no surprise that VintageLights.com has 2 of the 4 in their vast and ever growing collection of vintage books and catalogues? And that their entire collection of vintage catalogues are free? It would set you back over $50 if you purchased these 4 paperbacks at the big A. Paperbacks!

The vintage catalogue selection at Vintagelights.com not only has the Internets largest free resource of vintage lighting catalogues but also Sears Kit Homes, interior decorating, Bungalow and home plans, plumbing, lawn and garden books and promotional pamphlets. All original, all in their entirety, all from about 1900 through 1939, and all FREE. Some of these catalogues are not reproduced anywhere else, making this resource unique, helpful, and important.

We are glad to help.

Above image from the book Architectural Woodwork by The Curtis Companies, 1920.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

peer to peer pressure

So I am succumbing to peer to peer pressure for an image of the master behind the magic here at VintageLights.com and today you get a bonus image, one of me hard at work at our re-wire bench. What you cannot hear is Jimmy Buffett streaming on RadioMargararitaville.com or Texas hill country music on TexasRebelRadio.com (think Lyle Lovett for the latter). 77 degrees out. I am in our summer uniform which is worn almost 8 months out of the year: short sleeve black v-neck tee, Eddie Bauer EBTek shorts, and of course, flip flops.

I have found me a home.

The fascinating light bulb!

Is there anything more mundane in today's household than the lowly light bulb? But can you imagine the time, not so long ago, when the light bulb was the technological wonder of its day?

The light bulb itself was so intriguing, so fascinating, that manufacturers did not put shades on these early fixtures. People wanted to see this new wonderful device.

You often see matching dining room and living room vintage light fixtures with identical designs except that on the living room fixture the bulbs are pointed up and on the dining room fixture the bulbs are pointed down. This addressed two issues: with the bulbs pointed up there is more head room under the fixture, and where the bulbs are pointed down, more light is concentrated directly under the fixture.

These early days of vintage lighting the bulbs also were of smaller wattage than today's light bulb, and much more expensive. 40 watts was a lot of light back then. During the teens and 20s it became the fashion to shield the eye from the glare of the bulb, as the wattage increased. Then something happened in 1929 to reverse this trend and once again bare bulb fixtures returned to prominence. The Great Depression forced manufacturers to cut costs and although the shade represented a very small percentage of the fixtures' overall cost, any avenue to shave a few cents was taken.

The above images, from a 1931 catalog, shows a series of fixtures by Virden of Milwaukee, commonly called "dogshead" due to the stylized animal head motif. Examples of all these antique light fixtures are seen on our website.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com

Design Drought

I often mention the design, style, and proportions of vintage fixtures, properties most contemporary fixtures seem to have a lack of. Whether it is from lack of classical design study or just the blinders-on rush for the dollar (or yuan), most of today's lighting fixtures wither and pale in comparison to pre 1940 vintage fixtures.

Take the above image for example. How many classic design elements do you see? The knight, coat of arms, dragons, fleur de lis, ivy, lance and flag, and the bent cross or fleur de lis finial. But what is it about this fixture that grabs your eyes and keeps them moving about the fixture, savoring its sinuous curves the way a jawbreaker rolls around your mouth? Strict adherence to classical design elementation. In the image on the right, note how each line intersects the tips of key elements 4 to 7 times. This is VERY deliberate. Each curve, each leaf, each element is placed in such a way your eye just rolls around the fixture, seemingly at random. Similar to the way your eyes move around when looking at nature. There is a comfort in such a fixture because its design elements mimic the design elements in nature. Unseen yet felt.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Simple yet very Elegant

During the teens and 1920s there was a very popular home decorating style referred to as the "sanitized" look. Also an exciting time in medicine when great strides were made in successful vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, TB and whooping cough (History lesson). Not to mention the decade Band-Aids were invented.

The "sanitized" look was born from the emphasis on cleanliness and disease control. As a result, one of the most popular looks of that era was white on white. White glass shades on white porcelain fitter. White subway tile was also the standard of the day. To this day, this color & style is still one of the most popular in vintage lighting.

As things progressed, some color was added to the porcelain fixtures and tile. Black, green, light yellow, pink and lilac were taking the place of the sterilized white look. This produced fixtures which were very simple yet they also were very elegant. The above images shows a custard glass shade with black stripes on a seafoam green fitter. Great vintage bathroom or kitchen light fixture.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Listen To Your Eyes with a Hearing Aid!

This past Monday my partner Linda had surgery on one of her eyes. She had always worn glasses and contacts since they discovered she couldn't read or see very well when she was quite young. Her vision was 20/400.

In less than an hour the surgen implated in her right eye a small contact-like disc, called a multifocal lens.

22 hours later, for the first time in her LIFE, she was able to see clearly without glasses or external contacts. Her vision in that eye was tested to be 20/20.

Talk about another miracle of modern science.

She will get the same treatment in her left eye in 2 weeks.

Just amazing!

Where were you when......

Yesterday I was discussing blogs with another blog author, Chris of http://thephoenixagents.com. He thought this was a pretty good blog (Thanks again Chris) and he was a bit concerned that I would soon run out of ideas, blogging every other day or so. Does Jimmy Buffett run out of songs? We both (JB & I) do what we love, follow the inspiration where it takes us and believe that what we do makes a difference.

I have been a huge Jimmy Buffett fan since 1973 when I first heard "Pencil Thin Mustache" riding around Randle in my friend Bob Lee's brown Chevy Vega GT. That is me in the above image, 1975, on our way to Sun Valley for the winter. Where were you when you heard your first Buffett song?

Anyway, I find the field of vintage lighting so intersting and vast that I doubt that I will ever run out of things to say.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Shadow Beauty

As I was listening to the graduating students at yesterday's Prescott College Baccalaureate, one of the graduates read from the writing of a juvenile in detention. Her project was to introduce the wonders and beauty of nature to a group of troubled youths (juvenile delinquents) through direct interaction and had them express that experience through writing. Pretty great I thought.

One youth wrote that it he was amazed at the beauty the shadows held. It was not surprising that that was where he was looking, the shadows. What was a bit surprising though was what he saw there, the beauty.

There are times in all our lives when we walk out into the sunlight and it is just way too bright and we have to wait until our eyes adjust to the light. What a great opportunity that time is, to focus on the beauty in the shadows.

Listen To your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Ready, Fire, Aim

We are just finishing up a set of 1920 - 30s "Storybook" style vintage ceiling fixtures. There are three 5 light, one 3 light, two 2 light, one pair of sconces and a very rare table lamp. I know I have had some of these fixtures for over 4 years, waiting until I could do justice to them by developing a finishing technique which would match the original finish and retain an appropriate sheen for an 80 year old light fixture. Looking back at the finishing process I am a bit surprised how little trial and error there was to arrive at the finished product this time. Using several different techniques, tools, and finishes in a very specific order produced the desired results. It was like my brain already knew what to do and I just had to be willing to follow. And I am very happy and satisfied with the results.

Interestingly this coincides with an upcoming issue of American Bungalow magazine due out the middle of this month. They are doing a short feature on Vintagelights.com and this set of vintage fixtures was one they may include.

I submitted their image not yet consciously knowing what the refinishing process would be, but I must have already known. Had I not pulled the trigger by submitting them for consideration in the feature who know how many more years it would have taken.

They will be our next featured item on our home page.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Light Investment

With few exceptions, Vintage Lighting still offers one of the most cost effective ways to to bring what is commonly called "Vintage Charm" to your home or business. Sure, "Vintage Charm" is subjective, different for everyone, and to certain degree, "cost effective" is also subjective.

But here are a couple of facts which bring "cost effective" into the realm of objectivity.

1. Again with few exceptions, no contemporary lighting fixture retains its value once placed into use, nor will it increase in value over time.

2. The underlying reason vintage lighting continues to increase in value (and it has even over the past 6 months) is that it is a very limited resource. There is no more being made. This is it. And every time a 1920s shade is broken, the value of those remaining goes up. Supply and demand. More than one of our customers consider their purchases an investment.

It may cost a little more up front for vintage fixtures but the pay off is not only monetary (in the long run) but in the daily appreciation of its contribution to your home's beauty and authentic "Vintage Charm".

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

The Eyes Have It

I remember the first time I saw the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in person. "Big church" was about the extent of my acknowledgement.

After a job change I decided to take some Architecture classes at the University of Washington. Of course I could only take the introductory classes, but that's all it took. The professor was a seasoned pro who could bring the magic of the ancient Greek buildings to the Space Needle come alive. (He spent his summers in Athens trying to find ways to save the Parthenon from acid rain and other air-borne destructors).

About 3 years later I was again in Paris. This time when I saw Norte Dame with its flying buttresses and vaulted rooftops I was literally stopped in my tracks. What I was seeing this time was an almost unbelievable structure of beauty, grace and engineering that took several generations to complete. For the rest of that day I could not stop marveling at its enormity of both scale and imagination. Norte Dame began with a cornerstone almost 850 years ago but for me it started with an entry level class at the U of W. There I found a new way of seeing and appreciating the world in which I live, which carries on today in my profession.



Listen To Your Eyes. PB



http://vintagelights.com/