Mom's Chandelier

15 years ago

All the feedback from you wonderful friends is great. I am really getting me into the nostalgia of my life!

I have put up a new page with something that I DID have to 'fight' my siblings for. One of two things that I really wanted from their estate (they both died within a year of each other).

Long story, but I was not about to get caught up with the greed that emerged during this time period. My ex-sister really made it a difficult time to go through - as the only 'girl' she thought she was entitled to Everything. Welcome to 'disfunctional family'!

The other is a print that I framed for them on their 25th anniversary. I framed pictures part of the time I was in college and if I could do what I really want when I grow up, it would be to open a picture framing shop. It was something I loved and was really good at.

I might add this print to the chandelier page tonight?

Finally, when I was very young, we had a neighbor who was kinda my savior. She used to rescue me from the violence that my ex-father doled out.

Anyway, Beth was a Wisconsin farm girl (she was already in her 60's with she seduced me with her old fashion sugar cookies) and we remained very good friends until she died.

It was a surprise, but she left me a few things from her childhood. She used to tell me (and her family) that I reminded her of her late husband Harry and that was part of our bond. One of her stepsons told me after she died that she really felt for how I was treated as a child - though I did not really understand what he was talking about until about 15 or 20 years ago.

Beth's grandfather hand built a solid cherry buffet and hutch. There are no nails - all connections were either tongue and groove or dows. He also built a wooden magazine stand and a cigar stand that I have been looking for an ashtray that will fit for a long time.

I don't think about it much, but my prize possession (other than the memories) from her is a Spinet Desk. Mahogany I think. The finish was mared by Mayflower in 1983 in a move to Los Angeles, and when they 'it' the refinished it - so I continue to oil the hell out of it to try to get it back to original form. I'll probably take a picture and post it as well tonight?

Image link:

Here is a link that might be useful: Mom's Chandelier

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

mzclassic
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a great looking chandelier! And the desk is also nice. Thanks for sharing.

Donna in Florida
nancyjeanmc
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The chandelier seemed almost like an aside in your post...but it caught my eye. We have the same one, sans hanging crystals, in the kitchen of our beach house. It was there when we bought it. Can you tell me anything about it? (My husband wanted to get a new one...I told him DO NOT TOUCH IT!)
Related Discussions
Chandelier Drama:Look what I was given!
Q
Comments (15)
Ok ladies, I won't paint it! It was originally bought by my friends great-grandparents when they built their house in the 1920's so I know that it is an antique. My dear friend told me that it knows all of her family secrets! Her mother also gave me a smaller chandy that was used in their foyer. It was already boxed up as they had replaced it long ago. It appears to match this one. I think it would be gorgeous in a big walk-in closet or mud room. Even if I end up buying the elk chandelier for the main foyer of the next home I will find a place for these other two. I really feel blessed! Thanks for all of your kind comments, Necia
...See More
More on the octuplets mom
Q
Comments (71)
I don't mean to begrudge the children. For me, it's the means of getting them here. Yes, they're here, and they are the innocents in this. As gwanny2three said, helping the babies is rewarding the mom and playing right into her plan (at least what her plan has seemed to be). I don't doubt that she loves her children, at least in some way. But it's that she is seemingly holdig her "plight" over everyone's head to get charity dollars, when it is she that willinging and knowingly chose her plight. Yes, the children are the pawns. It's a very, very difficult situation and I am very sensitive to the children. But I will not donate to her. I was raised to make decisions knowing that it was up to me to deal with the results of those decisions. It made me mature very young, but I will tell you that I blame no one but myself when I do something irresponsible (which is rare, but I'm human). I take full responsibility and deal with it. I also don't have a lot of sympathy for "the poor grandmother". She's been rewarding her daughter's bad behavior for some time. But yes, she loves her daughter and cannot turn her grandchildren away - I understand that. But again, that's her choice. And here is octomom living with her awful parents who raised her in such a dysfunctional environment, and she's trusting the care of her beloved 14 children to those very people. Huh? I contribute to charities regularly and I also travel to other places at least annually to actively help people who need help. All I mean by that is to say that I am not selfish or heartless. I am very, very proactive in helping people who are making some effort to help themselves or those who are doing the best they can. This woman is neither of those. Suzieque
...See More
Mom's Traditional Country Kitchen
Q
Comments (16)
I like the idea of switching the doors so the inside is outside. Will this work? If this works, is is possible to put in a much more more modern cab handle? Although you need a valence over the sink, you don't need THAT one. Could you cut off the curves? Or replace with a fabric covered one that is recessed a bit so it's closer to your new shades? (a fabric that coordinates with the new countertop and the browns would be good) or.... Also, is your mom really good with putting tile on the floor? What about a laminate with some personality? Here is a link that might be useful: $$11.16 Schaub pull as an example of a mod brass pull
...See More
Calling cat_mom: Medusa chandelier
Q
Comments (1)
That is gorgeous--unfortunately the purse is a bit light after some holiday shopping, and I don't think we'd have a spot for it even if I was feeling flush! I did enjoy the eye candy though! :-)
...See More
susiewantsroses
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Really great family treasure. Maybe Oscar will want them and your tools someday!!!!!

You may not have the ULLTIMATE DISFUNCTIONAL FAMILY RIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I already claimed them. LOL Just thank God that Oscar has you and her memories will be totally different. She will be a happy crafter using her Pappy's tools under her chandi light.

Susie
Marlene Kindred
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
VERY nice chandelier! Love the hand painted work on it! Such a wonderful thing to hang on to! Thanks for sharing your life with us...it has been great reading about you and your family. If it helps, I have a pretty screwed up family as well...won't bore you with the details, but trust me, a lot are similar to yours.....but, it has helped me see life in a different light for sure!
big_deck
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
susie - Emily just got her first Dremel tool and we have done very limited things with it. Talk about a fight with her parents. She will not touch it without my assistance. I got her a Bob The Builder set about six months ago and she does great with tools. Very mechanical! Takes after her Pap Brian. Of course she call it her "Oscar The Builder" set and who am I to argue with her?

I also got her a paint set for Christmas and we have been doing lots of 'drawin'. For whatever reason, whenever we do a face, it is not done until she puts a booger on the nose!

Ok, here goes another dissertation.

Growing up in Morgantown, WV was a great place to grow up - and seemed like a great place to move from when I graduated college in the early 70's. If you can drive here, you can drive anywhere!

This state is/was loaded with coal, oil, natural gas, silica sand, limestone, bluestone and tree's galore (WesVaco got it's start here).

While a lot of the state is Appalachian and truely backward, other parts, such as Morgantown have never experienced a Recession or Depression. We are not suffering from it now - though my business is really slow at the moment, but we do No business in this state. A tidbit - Morgantown has more Millionaires per capita than any other city in the US.

Three doors down from us lived Howard Ward Christopher III, son of Howard Ward Christopher II, who owned Carter Hall Tobacco in Virginia. Ward, as he was called, married Laverne Houze who's parents owned Houze Glass Corp. of Point Marion, PA. Ward also built a resort in Morgantown that was called Lakeview Country Club which was designed with the assistance of Arnold Palmer. They gave me a 'lifetime memborship' for my 13th birthday, but asked that their son Frank and I not play on the golf course any more as we both would lay down on the greens and shoot golf balls like it was a pool table.

Back to the chandelier - nancyjean, does your chandelier weigh about 100 pounds or you don't know? The brass counter-weight is filled with pure silica sand, the globe and top 'shade' are hand-blown. I watched them being done at the factory in Morgantown, WV and this was probably about 1959 or 60.

After the hand-blowing, they were baked and then moved to a room where what seemed to me to be Really Old Ladies (I was probably 8 or 9 years old then, so 20 was Really Old) began the hand painting. Then they were baked again.

Somehow I wonder if the one you have in your beach-house is a copycat? Beaumont, before getting into radical EPA trouble had a lot of really unique glass they made and shared with Seneca Glass of Morgantown.

Jackie Kennedy (a really nice woman) selected a Seneca lead crystal pattern for the White House and I was at the factory when she was given a tour (which is why I know she was a really nice lady - didn't ignore the nobody fat kid that asked her about her shiny high heels).

I used to hang out at the glass companies as they had dumps that had all sized pieces of glass that they were blowing. Some of the pieces we the size of a football - others the size of marbles. I used to stuff my pockets full of these pieces and had a pretty vast collection of colors. Wonder what my parents ever did with it. Probably threw it away when I was gone for awhile!

marlene - disfuntional seems to be all over the place, but I really thought we were unique! When I was 'dying' of leukemia in 1989/90, I was lucky enough to find the most wonderful shrink in the world in Los Angeles! We are still friends. She helped me set it all straight and life has been a lot easier, though more work, since!

Lesson of the day - because they are family does not mean they have to be your friends! Holly has taught me that because they are family Can mean they are your friends!
joega
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Very pretty...
nancyjeanmc
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm thinking copycat, because I don't think it weighs that much. I've never lifted it, but I would guess I could feel its weight when I clean it. I'll take pictures and have my boys post them. Even if it is a knock-off, I love its faux history. I knew there was something special about it!
nonacook
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Love the chandelier!
Here I go again--this post should have been on the conversations side since it is NOT garden junk.
luna_llena_feliz
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Too pretty to use as a part of a glass totem! Although if parts of it break, you might have a fight on your hands to see who can add it to their totem collection first! he-he

Very nice lamp. I think all us junkers appreciate pretty stuff whether it is old and antique or something from the dollar store. We just like lovely things and will go to all lengths to incorporate it into art when its original purpose is no longer needed.

Mom's Chandelier

Comments (9)

mzclassic

nancyjeanmc

Related Discussions

susiewantsroses

Marlene Kindred

big_deck
Original Author

joega

nancyjeanmc

nonacook

luna_llena_feliz

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Mom's Chandelier

Comments (9)

Related Discussions

big_deckOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

big_deck
Original Author