Vintage Lamps, Items Repurposed into Lamps etc; Please share your pics
I didn't want to hijack deee_gw's thread "What Makes a Lamp Good?" but I'd love to see photos of lamps you consider special or good lamps. As I said on that thread, most of mine are from antique stores, have been made from something I've taken to my local lamp shop or purchased there with the owner making from a find. Most of these were taken with my cell phone with a scratched camera lens, so apologies in advance.
I've had many of these lamps for decades, and like to buy lamps that express individuality, my taste and that can be used in various rooms over the years.
I have a pair of concrete lamps on the sofa table from an antique store. They are extremely heavy. They were made to look like old balustrades. I changed the black with gold lining shades to a nice lined silk. I almost always buy shades with texture. I made the change to LED warm white bulbs after reading a post Jane wrote on Atticmag (Making Sense of LED Light Bulbs ). I never thought I would be a happy converter to LED, but the Utilitech Pro and Utilitech lines are great! They stay cooler than regular bulbs so less harm to shades.
Also in the living room is a metal urn (made by lamp shop owner) with an Asian script finial...
...and a wooden candlestick I had her make into a lamp - she was able to drill a hole through the center. Hard to tell in photo, but it's close in color to the kitchen island.
In the foyer is probably my favorite lamp; I don't know if it was made from a doorstop or something else, but it's also metal and has a good weight.
This cat lamp was purchased when my sister was born for the nursery. It used to have a music box that played, but it broke decades ago. It's in my sunroom, and doesn't exactly "go," but I love this lamp. I used it in the nurseries for our three children. It's almost 60yo and has seen several shades over the years.
Also in the sunroom is a wrought iron lamp made locally in the 50s or 60s. It was originally my maternal grandparents (river house then place in Florida). Moved on to my mother's house, then their lakehouse. When they sold it last year, it came home with me. When I took it to the lamp shop to buy a shade (best way to buy a shade is to take the lamp with you!), the owner laid it down on brown paper to trace so that she could show the metalworker that makes lamps for her. It was originally black, but my grandmother went through the paint and glaze phase in the 70s. I turned it to get a better photo.
This lamp is in the main level guest room. Was originally (last house) in DD1's bathroom. It was bought new, heavy metal with an antique silver finish. The shade is also metal but I covered it with a handmade paper from an art store to soften.
I purchased this lamp (not shade) online. It was made from an antique tobacco jar. It is a gorgeous cobalt blue. It is on the MBR on DH's side. Heavy textured linen shade.
My bed table has an extremely heavy antique brass candlestick lamp purchased at Bombay Company years ago for next to nothing because it would not turn on. Simply needed rewiring - everyone should learn/know how to rewire. Shade purchased at local shop.
This is my second favorite lamp, purchased recently on etsy. Shade bought locally. It's on the dresser in our closet.
I need to go downstairs to take photos, but Houzz isn't letting me add more pictures to this section.
I'd love to see your lamps!
Comments (37)
User
8 years agoWow, not as much traffic as the old GW! Here is another one on our main level/breakfast area. It's one of a pair, but the other is in the lower level den. I'm not big on pairs. Antique store find.
Lower level den, new (if 20yo is new) but I love the shade and chain.
Also in the den and also new. I was looking for something with a woven shade that went with furniture in the room and our wood setting. DH just mentioned this lamp last night saying he really liked it. Has a mica shade underneath the wicker shade that sits over it.
This one was purchased at my lamp shop. Same shade I used on DH tobacco jar lamp.
I bought this 50s TV lamp on ebay and took to her. Love it.
In another lower level guest room is the lamp she made from a cross I found in an antique store (obviously not new and some "antique" stores need to remove that from their sign!) This lamp is TALL!
I don't own this lamp, but my parents have own a pair. They are so quirky and don't anywhere currently, I plan on using them eventually. ?? They were in their MBR from the late 1950s until 30 years ago, and haven't been used since they built their current home.
DD1 is currently in the other guest room, so those lamps are packed up. As you can see, I love lamps... and chairs but that's another thread!Related Discussions
Help with entry table and lamps, etc...
Comments (17)Thank you all so much for your responses. Walnutcreek: I think you have a point :) pps7: Even though the lamps are slightly taller than the ship it does appear that they all 3 may be too close in height. At this time, there isn't a ceiling fixture in the foyer so lamps were an easy fix. Yes, a decorative bowl may be the answer with the brown lamps. grandmaof3: Picture with both brown lamps is below. I tried the rattan piece on the other wall when I brought it home but it is just too wide for that wall. Teacats: Yes, perhaps I should move the ship to a different spot in the house! We love it so I will surely find another spot for it! A wooden bowl sounds right! Thanks for the mirror advice. I saw a round mother of pearl mirror that I liked but I'll keep looking! Thanks again for the responses...See MorePart 2 of my lamp saga - new shade to consider (pics)
Comments (35)I'm back from the shade store and yes, friends, I've gone completely overboard!! I have yet another shade to consider. This time I brought home several shades to find the right color. Now, I think I have the right color, but the shape is new, believe it or not!! It's a little difficult to describe. Basically it's a rectangle with a bell shape. The shorter sides flare out in a soft curve. I have 4 pics to share, in order to hopefully show the true shape of the shade. Picture #1 Picture #2 (from the side to show the outward curve on the short side) Picture #3 (a complete side view) Picture #4 I think I like how the rectangle shape of the shade works with the rectangle of the piano. So, if anyone is still interested in this saga, which now has really turned into a saga, what do you think of the latest choice? Thanks to all who have responded. I really do appreciate your input....See MorePlease Share Pics of Your Wood Paneled Rooms - PICS
Comments (39)debelli, the dark cherry paneling is from a house around the corner in our neighborhood. We tried to put in a bid, but found out the bank (it was a foreclosure) had already accepted a bid less than 24 hours before. We were pretty bummed, we really loved all the built in storage in that house. We fell in love with the neighborhood, so we kept looking and found our current house about a month or so later. The yellow-y looking paneling with the table and lamp is our actual office, although it's the listing picture. We haven't taken any pictures of this (I'm sitting in it) because we have it jam packed with IKEA office furniture. It's absolutely utilitarian, so definitely wouldn't inspire. DH works from home. Since the rest of the house needs work, I'm leaving this office to last. I'm guessing that we won't do much, no paint, DH doesn't want to change the paneling at all. The houses in my neighborhood were built between the mid eighties to mid nineties and ALL of them have paneling of some type either in an office or formal living room. I believe nearly everyone's paneling is done with birch luan and molding trim. Kathe...See MoreLamp(s) Lust satisfied via eBay and Craigslist - I'm in love
Comments (39)Such beautiful lamps! I just remembered I have a 'shiny' brass ginger jar lamp out in the garage that's very heavy that I haven't used for 7 years. I purchased it in an antique shop back in SD, and was supposedly made in England, but have never checked for markings. I would love to give it away, but feel its 'too good' for goodwill if there is such a thing, so it's still hanging out in the garage. And I don't want to deal with CL and the crazies it may invite....See More
grapefruit1_ar
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
OutsidePlaying
8 years agodeeinohio
8 years agotuesday_2008
8 years ago
pugga
8 years ago
Sueb20
8 years agoSueb20
8 years agoSome of mine. Darn, sorry they're sideways. The last one is from Target and I love it!
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years ago
LynnNM
8 years ago
caroline94535
8 years ago
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
8 years agoThese were my grandmother's lamps that she had on her dressing table. I always liked them. Little sis got the bedroom set, but I got the lamps. Yippee! I had the shades redone by a local woman because they are specially made to fit these lamps-can't buy a normal one.
Oh, and that dark rectangle is actually a painting that never comes out in photos-dark abstract landscape. Not a tv- no tv in any bedrooms here! :-)
User
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
My3dogs ME zone 5A
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoI bought this pair on eBay in late 2013 after making a Best Offer. They're 19th century ginger jars, and I loved the color.
They don't look it above, but they were quite tall. Imagine trying to find shades for them as they started.I took them completely apart, and then shopped for shades. Once I founds oval shades that I liked. I used the old parts, and cut down the brass rods, turned the sockets right-side up, using only one socket in each, and re-made them to accept the new shades.
Houzz cuts off my pictures lately. This is full size and shows the carved wooden base in my file.While at the local lighting shop, while looking at their shades, I found these finials. They only had 2, so I bought them to top off my 'custom lamps'. I saved the old parts as I often make, re-make or re-wire lamps, so I have a nice supply of parts to work with. I have more lamps on another PC, so will post some this weekend. I lust after lamps.
User
8 years agocyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoSueb20
8 years agoljwrar
8 years agoI love lamps!
Allison, thank you for starting this thread!
Sue, is the second lamp you posted new? DH wants a new lamp for his night stand and that one in a different finish would be great.
I was looking for a reading lamp for our living room and stumbled upon this dragonfly at an antique store. It's not very good for reading, but form won over function this time.
We do have a three way floor lamp that works for reading. DH and I were just starting on a long city walk and found a sidewalk sale four blocks from our house. We ended up carting the lamp back home and bailing on the walk.
We have a few more floor lamps from antique stores and goodwill, but this is the only one that can be photographed right now. The other ones are in a rumpus room that is way too messy to show! This one sits in my dining room next to Grandma's 1939 White Electric sewing machine that I use often.Here is my desk lamp from the monthly antiques and collectibles fair in Alameda, CA.
ljwrar
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
cawaps
8 years agoThis lamp belonged to my great-great-aunt Ida, who may have been the last person in the family to have money and taste. She hung with the arts crowd in San Francisco back in the 1920s, including Bill and Agatha van Erp, children of esteemed copper artisan Dirk van Erp. Somewhere along the way she acquired this lamp. It's not clear if it was purchased or a gift (she also had a number of copper pots that the van Erps gave as hostess gifts). Aunt Ida left the lamp to my granparents who left it to my parents who still have it. I love the hammered texture of the body of the lamp, the patina, the double-flared base, the color of the mica shade when it it lit up and the copper pine cone overlay. The care and craftsmanship is obvious.
User
8 years agopugga
8 years agoOkay, here are a few of my favorite lamps. The first one I have no idea what era, etc. Also, I could use some ideas for what kind of shade or whatever it should have. Obviously, the one that it came with is incorrect but I thought it was a cool lamp and it was a good price.
pugga
8 years agoNext is just an inexpensive lamp, maybe from Target. I love Paris and love to sprinkle a bit of Paris here and there without being too kitchsy/in your face. This is a lampshade I added of a view to La Trocadero underneat the Eiffel Tower.
pugga
8 years agoI bought this little guy from World Market a few years ago, just because he makes me happy.
pugga
8 years agoLast one. Maybe from the 1930s? And the picture in the background is an old one of Notre Dame.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoWishing I had pix - my mother's home is full of lamps made from antiques: a large coffee grinder, wooden planes (the carpenter's type) & several kerosene lamps like the 1 pictured above - a couple have dark green glass shades, which look very nice w/ the brass. My dad made them all back in the 50s & early 60s, when it was all the rage, apparently. My parents did a lot of antiquing back in the 50s - they lived in Long Island & would drive out into the country on the weekend to auctions.
Here's a pic(not mine) of what the wood planes look like - the lamps have brass tubing & drum shades covered w/ natural burlap...
User
8 years agochicagoans
8 years agoUser
8 years agoSandy
2 years ago
Allison0704
2 years ago
blfenton