Antique Lighting Fixture tip # 6

I had just finished rewiring a nice little 2 bulb vintage bathroom fixture, turned it on and ... nothing. Odd, I thought that both bulbs would be bad, so I changed the bulbs to ones I knew were good. Turned it on and... nothing. OK, out with the continuity tester. Both sockets and switch tested in good working order. Sometimes switches have intermittent problems so I changed the switch, replaced the light bulbs which were good, turned it on and ... nothing.

That's when that little vintage light bulb went off in my head.

I remembered talking to an old timer about restoring antique lighting when he mentioned he had just fixed a fixture brought to him that was not working. The problem was so simple I had forgotten about it until now.

People have a tendency to screw the light bulb down TOO TIGHT. The metal contact point which the light bulb hits at the bottom of the socket is a thin piece of bendable copper. Repeatedly screwing the bulb down as tight as you can bends this contact point down. Then when you replace a light bulb with one which may not be as pointed at the bottom as the burned out one you are replacing, the bottom of the new light bulb doesn't hit the contact point on the socket. So you think it may be a bad light bulb and you try another light bulb which does work, after screwing it down really tight. So you throw away the new light bulb which did not work when in fact the light bulb was perfectly good.

So, when putting light bulbs in vintage lighting fixtures (or any fixtures for that matter) screw them in to where they just light up, and then no more than a quarter turn.

This will prevent the bottom contact from being deformed to where it will no longer make contact with the bottom of the light bulb.

The images show a cut-away view of inside an antique socket with two different light bulbs having very different bottom profiles.





Listen to Your Eyes. PB

How to tell if an antique shade is really old?

A customer recently asked me a question I remember asking a mentor many years ago: "How can you tell if a shade for an antique fixture is really old or a reproduction?" My mentor's first response was, "You can just tell."  Frustrated by his answer, I asked him to elaborate on the signs which indicate a shade is vintage and old. I thought I would share what was shared with me back then. The following is more a guideline than a rule for vintage and antique shades.

First, look at the top opening of the shade. Vintage shades were hand blown into a mold and resulted with the top edge of the shade nicely rolled and smooth. Reproduction shades have a flat ground top which is much faster and easier to finish. This is about 95 % accurate. Some vintage shades are very thin and this indicator is not there.

Second, look just below the top rolled edge of the opening. Antique shades will have a thin ring which is rough, where the hand blown glass was broken out of the mold. If these first two are on shade it is a good bet it is antique and vintage.

Third, there will be small seams in the glass where the mold is clamped together. Vintage shades will have 2 to 4 "mold marks" where reproduction shades will usually have only 2.

Fourth, vintage and antique shade often have slight imperfections such as air bubbles, insignificant discoloration, minor unevenness in the finish and thickness of the glass, and trivial deformities. For collectors these imperfections are looked for as they indicate the human touch imparted to the vintage shade.

In addition, vintage shades have a look and feel which reproduction shades just do not have. This is what my mentor was referring to when he said "You can just tell." And after handling thousands of shades over the years, both vintage and reproduction, I too can "just tell."

My customer was spared the frustration of "You can just tell" and was was given the rest of this short lesson on how to tell if an antique shade is really old.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

New vintage lights inventory posted to flickr, twitter, and facebook

Starting this month all new inventory being put up on our website will also be placed on facebook, flickr, and twitter. Please bookmark, add as favorite, or join your favorite way to stay in touch and be one of the first to view the new inventory. Yesterday we just had one disappointed customer because the fixture she was interested in was sold yesterday morning. Hate it when that happens!

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50643466@N05/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/vintagelightscom/110983695607214

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lightsvintage

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

Gamble House gamble, Greene & Greene go round

Yesterday we took a tour of the Greene & Greene Gamble house in Pasadena. Agreed, one of the most impressive structures I have seen. Unbelievable attention to detail thoughout, from the almost unnoticable silver inlays to the way the carvings on the freize in the living room are all carved so the grain of the wood produces the design (here, in the darkest corner of the house, the carving is of the moon with a couple bats flying around). At over 4000 sq. ft., the house took a mere 10 months to build.
I now understand the inspiration, beauty, and wonder this home instills in one's soul, how this structure is one that the common man can relate to, feel connected to.
But what I am still trying to get my head around is why there are so many Greene & Greene knock offs, Gamble House imitators? I keep wondering "Why don't these people or businesses create their own legacy instead of copying someone else, even if it is the Greene brothers?" What inspired Greene & Greene and where is that same inspiration today? And yes, I recognize they certainly are a source of inspiration.

Why do we not have this caliber of craftsman today? Or do we, but as in the Greene's case it takes the test of time for the genius to show?

So, at least for Linda & I, the Gamble House passes a true test of art: it moved us from inspiration into thought, thought into questions, and questions into discussion. The best result any of us can hope for.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

Original Finish vs. Patina on Vintage lighting fixtures

We were recently asked to clarify one of our descriptions which read in part: "original finish and patina." The customer asked if "finish" and "patina" were not the same thing. Great question, because the answer is, they can be. And it can be a little confusing.
Certain metals used in the structure of the vintage light fixture, such as bronze, brass, copper, or aluminum, are exposed to chemicals which darken the surface of the metal. The result of this process is called the patina. Different chemicals create different colors on the metal. Sometimes in the finishing of the fixture, the patina is removed on parts of the fixture to create contrast and highlights, as in the image above. Patina could also be used to describe the look on the surface of an antique lighting fixture created by time, exposure to smoke (cigarette, coal, wood), natural darking of the protective finish of wax or shellac, oil build up, residue from cleaning products, etc. A vintage fixture which had been patinated (patina) and its original color from the patina process is still intact is called its patina. If this same fixture still retains its original protective coating of say, shellac, this could be called as its original finish.

The above vintage fixture is solid bronze, which was darkened by the patina process, then the patina was selectively removed to create the wonderful contrast of light and dark. The protective finish, most likely shellac, has mellowed to impart a warm undertone to the entire fixture. This antique lighting fixture retains its original finish and patina.

If the vintage fixture was originally painted (no patina) this would be called its original finish, instead of calling this finish its patina.
Now if this painted fixture still has all the accumulated dust, oils, and discolorations from time, this could be called its patina, although it is usually just called its original finish (unlike furniture where this undisturbed condition is called its patina).

Vintage light fixtures with a higher value are affected more by the condition of their original finish and patina than vintage light fixtures of lesser value. Quite often the condition of mid-range vintage fixtures is so deteriorated that the only way these vintage fixtures can be realistically used again is if they are completely refinished. In these cases this increases the value of vintage fixture.

We always prefer to retain original finish and patina when possible.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

Vintage Lighting Crossover Design

These c.1935 vintage wall sconce lighting fixtures, made by Lightolier, New York. show a strong leaning towards mid-century design yet they retain some of the art deco influence they evolved from.  As styles evolved and new design classes were born (or older ones revisited), you often see this type of cross-over in design. A few come to mind: from Victorian to Art Nouveau, from Art Nouveau to Arts & Crafts, from Arts & Crafts to Art Deco, from Art Deco to Mid-Century.  Most often, styles did not just pop onto the design scene and from that date onward only that style was in vogue. No, there was a transition period where design elements from one style were incorporated into design elements of the new blossoming style. And as it is today, there was resistance to the new style, there were champions of the new style, and finally there was general acceptance of the new style as manufacturers sought to fill the new demand as quickly and inexpensively as possible. That meant incorporating some of the old tried and true design elements into the new style.
This is one reason vintage lighting fixtures classified as "Art Deco" go so seamlessly into Bungalows and "Craftsman" style homes.
Be aware of the different styles in antique lighting, just don't be too hungup on trying to classify them into a box as sometimes that results in just that: a box, with not too much light or life.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

Antique vintage chrome 2 bulb bath kithcen light fixture (1)

Antique vintage chrome 2 bulb bath kithcen light fixture (1)
Originally uploaded by VintageLights.com

Dating to the 1930s, this is a prime example of the craftsmanship and design expertise of that era. Not many antique lighting fixtures retain there luster, as this vintage light fixture does, after so many years. Especially for a bathroom or kitchen light fixture. Note the close up image of the back where all the small details on the display board are reflected on the fixture. It is difficult to tell where the light fixture ends and the display board begins it is so reflective. A light coat of wax will keep the chrome shining for another century.
The "clam broth" (color of the glass) shade has only small chip on its back side, never seen as it is under the retaining bracket. Chip is shown in a close up.
This vintage lighting fixture holds 2 light bulbs, handling up to 75 watts each.
This antique bath light fixture is 12 5/8 inches wide and projects 5 7/8 inches

http://www.vintagelights.com/product/vintage-bathroom-wall-sconce-lighting-fixture-original-chrome-mirror-finish-2-bulb.html


Listen to Your Eyes.