Vintage Lamps

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Hey folks-
I''m curious to find out if anyone out there loves to find vintage lamps. I have just recently forced myself to pass on two good ones, because I suspect I have a vintage lamp addiction. (Yes, my hands <were> shaking a bit as I put them down and left the thrift store, tear in my eye.) I''m just wondering if anyone else has Lamp Obsession, does any rewiring, etc. I''d love to hear what kinds you collect, if there''s anything in particular you like, whatever you''d want to share.

--Jenn
www.thriftshopromantic.com

[Good Buddy]

I was thrifting with pattyfabulous about 12 years ago at least (man am I old) and I said to her, "Today I''m going to look for THE lamp.". As soon as those words left my mouth I saw these clear colored panels under a pile of clothes. I dug it out and there was my favorite lamp for 4 bucks no less. I purchased it, took it home, took it apart, then spray painted the wire frame with a rust proof white enamel. I sanded first the old rust off. It didn''t need any re-wiring though I have re-wired a duplicate lamp for Troy Mclure''s daughter Krista. You can buy a complete hanging lamp re-wire kit from Home Depot for about $12.
The link below is to the Photo Gallery page that I posted a pic of the lamp on.
You see many of the same lamps in The Bamboo Lounge in Goodfellas during the "You think I''m funny?" scene.

http://thethriftshopper.com/forums/shopper/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=7

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Wow- four bucks is a great deal! And great job on the refurbishment, it looks terrific.

[Scott]

I loooove thrifting for lamps. In fact, virtually all of my lamps are thrifted. My current obsession is for Jane and Gordon Martz pottery lamps for Marshall Studios, but I''m also a huge fan of Russel Wright''s lamps. My best lamp find, however, was a swing arm floor lamp by Walter von Nessen for Nessen Studios. My $10 purchase may seem steep as far as thrift prices go, but they sell at retail vintage modern shops for almost a thousand dollars. Needless to say, I was thrilled!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Actually ten dollars for a thrift shop lamp is about middle ground in my area-- and clearly a phenomenal deal when you consider what the same thing would cost elsewhere. Have you had to do any work on your lamps or have they been in good shape as-is? I''ve been struggling with the best way to replate some of the ones I have. I''ve got quite a few from the 40s, and the metal typically pits over the years so I''d love to hear if anyone has some snappy techniques for correcting this.

So glad to hear others have lamp-obsession too! :-) I love these sorts of stories.
-Jenn

www.thriftshopromantic.com

[Scott]

I''ve rewired and purchased custom replacement shades, but that''s about as far as I have gone. The rewiring bit is easy, but anything beyond that is also beyond my capabilities. I have been both lucky and picky in the past: I try to pass by anything "too worn," and seem to be able to find pieces that are still in quite nice shape.

The main problem I have found with thrifted lamps is that new shades are fairly expensive. Even though I''m 100% a thrift decorator, I''m also a bit of a purist when it comes to shades fitting the lamps, so I almost always have to purchase custom sizes. I guess that means I''m really only about 85% a thrift decorator when it comes down to it ...

[alexandra]

I thrift lamps whether they are vintage or not.  New Lamps are so expensive!  I like to repaint or decopauge cheap lamps and then either buy shades on sale at KMart or Target -- or use older/thrifted shades that have also had a face-lift.  You can give a flat (i.e. unpleated) shade a face-lift by using iron on/fusible interface, and you can also use fabric paint, etc.

Here''s a project for giving a face-lift to a thrifted lamp -- get cheap twine and glue, and wrap the twine around the lamp base.  Glue the twine on well, then finish it off with some clear spray laquer.  Trimming a natural-colored cheap shade -- or a tea-stained older shade with more twine at the top and the bottom can finish the look.  For a fancier looking twine lamp, I like to lightly brush the glued on twine with either silver or gold paint. 

I love the lamps on Jenn''s website!  Lamps make such great gifts too -- used or new.  I think the used ones can be so much more interesting, though.

If you find those electric candles at the thrift store (or cheap at Big Lots, etc.), you can glue them to the bottom of a basket, surround them with fake flower or other interesting finds, run the cord out through the back or side of the basket, and then have a nice lit accent piece or centerpiece.

[Good Buddy]

Jenn,

Yes I like the lamp too and we often get compliments on it often.
There''s a vintage shop down the street, Orlando Vintage, and Lisa, the owner, has a larger version of my lamp.
I seem to see many more ''super cool'' hanging lamps as opposed to standing lamps. The last neat standing lamp we saw was in Ft lauderdale 2 years ago. South Florida is a thrifting Mecca!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Ironically I was literally just in south Florida last week for Thanksgiving-- my dad lives in the Keys. And you''re totally right-- there''s good stuff to be had.

At one shop there were two vintage lamps I had my eye on but ended up passing up on both, because 1.) I realized I was too cheap to pay the antique store price when, also,  2.) I would have either had to ship the lamp back home, or try to take it home in my luggage...

Imagine explaining to airport security why I had a foot-and-a-half-tall wired metal cherub in my bag...

Regarding lamp shades, I do see some appropriate vintage lampshades now and then at the thrift stores, particularly our one Salvation Army, and I try to pick them up when I see them. These are usually bell or scalloped shades used for 40s/50s "boudoir" lamps which goes pretty well with my Victorian influenced decor. But I''ve seen plenty of retro barrel shades which would be appropriate for more "groovy" styles.

I''ll have to watch that Goodfellas scene with a different motive this next time around. It''s bad enough I find myself checking out  the sets of old films for things similar to what I''ve found thrifting and antiquing. I once spotted somthing similar to one of my lamps in a Bette Davis black-and-white.

Enlightening lamp-hunting to you all,
-Jenn
www.thriftshopromantic.com

[eddieb]

Hey folks-
I''m curious to find out if anyone out there loves to find vintage lamps. I have just recently forced myself to pass on two good ones, because I suspect I have a vintage lamp addiction. (Yes, my hands <were> shaking a bit as I put them down and left the thrift store, tear in my eye.) I''m just wondering if anyone else has Lamp Obsession, does any rewiring, etc. I''d love to hear what kinds you collect, if there''s anything in particular you like, whatever you''d want to share.

--Jenn
www.thriftshopromantic.com

it's funny when i first joined i really couldn't think of the things i like to collect and then i read on... and remember some! like lamps!  while i'm not an AVID collector of lamps i have bought a couple and am always on the lookout for cool lamps... of course on the eternal hunt for an original LC Tiffany, you never know... i just read that someone found a rolex for a quarter!!

[Jay2TheRescue]

Hey folks-
I''m curious to find out if anyone out there loves to find vintage lamps. I have just recently forced myself to pass on two good ones, because I suspect I have a vintage lamp addiction. (Yes, my hands <were> shaking a bit as I put them down and left the thrift store, tear in my eye.) I''m just wondering if anyone else has Lamp Obsession, does any rewiring, etc. I''d love to hear what kinds you collect, if there''s anything in particular you like, whatever you''d want to share.

--Jenn
www.thriftshopromantic.com

it's funny when i first joined i really couldn't think of the things i like to collect and then i read on... and remember some! like lamps!  while i'm not an AVID collector of lamps i have bought a couple and am always on the lookout for cool lamps... of course on the eternal hunt for an original LC Tiffany, you never know... i just read that someone found a rolex for a quarter!!

I too have a lamp addiction.  I think it is partly for 2 reasons.  First, my furniture is dark, so I need lots of light so it just doesn't look black.  Second I don't have good eyesight so more light helps.  I like lamps from the 50's with all of the funky designs.  I have gotten into rewiring though, and have even gone as far as to purchase a whole roll of reproduction cloth lamp cord so I can rewire the lamps properly, as they were supposed to be.  I hate to pass on lamps too, but I often have to ask where I'm going to put it?

-Jay