Vintage lighting:

[Giftmacher]

Once Art déco pair night stand lamp, now only this one.

 

[Giftmacher]

And after restoring.. Nickel plating is polished, power cable replaced by braided twisted replica.

 

[1930artdeco]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good online tutorial for buying antique oil lamps? I would like to get a pair for the fireplace mantle.

Mike

 

[scotrace]

You might contact the world's only Aladdin museum, housed at the company that bought Aladdin:

https://www.lehmans.com/aladdin_museum_of_light

Also parts.

 

[Bugguy]

I picked this up inexpensive and rewired. It's been with me in two houses and now in my daughters.

 

[Bugguy]

My latest lighting acquisition through the Nashville Flea Market: a pair of vintage interior light fixtures (some suggest they're outside marker lamps) from a vintage Greyhound (GM) bus. I gently cleaned them and weather proofed both. I installed them on either side of my outside shed door.

The challenge was that they're 12v DC - an AC doorbell transformer won't work. I picked up an inexpensive variable voltage AC adaptor with the correct amperage and they're working fine. The adaptor is the in-line black box that goes to most cable boxes, clock radios, etc. Rather than the 12v setting, I switched to the 9v setting so they weren't so bright.

They're unique and fully functional!

 

[scotrace]

Both are fantastic! And that's a brilliant re-purposing of the second set.

 

[Giftmacher]

40's or early 50's, there are probably mixed parts.

 

[Bugguy]

This was one of 18 1950's pendant lights that came out of an Ohio airport - Dayton, I think. I wanted this for a shed conversion (see my last post above) to suspend through an antique wood/steel pulley. I tossed the pendant fixture and used 14/2 armored cable for a rope effect, and also to carry the weight. The original bulb was halogen with a ballast, but it took a regular 150w bulb, std. socket. Both the top and bottom enclosures are fresnel glass, so you can't see the bulb.

I love this stuff! FYI... I buy at a salvage guy who is north of Nashville and much less expensive than in the city. https://www.docsarchitecturalsalvage.com

 

[Doctor Strange]

I don't think I've posted on this thread before... Here's something a bit different from ordinary home/office lighting.

My parents had a commercial photography studio for 50+ years starting after WWII. Among their specialties were b/w product shots made with 4x5 cameras and fluorescent lights, which gave a crisp yet soft light. And part of their arsenal of lights were these: Army Air Force surplus fluorescent banks that were used to light airstrips and outdoor work sites - note the built-in heating elements to warm the tubes (closed off because we never used them and didn't them turned on by accident):



And boy, were these things built to last. These pictures were taken in 2011, but these lights are out in my garage right now, and no doubt some of the tubes would light if I plugged them in!

There's also another fluorescent unit (not surplus, AFAIK) that changes height and angle and uses longer tubes... which also still works:



Of course, I don't have any use for them now. Next time I move I'll probably have to give them away or throw them out...

 

[Woodtroll]

This was one of 18 1950's pendant lights that came out of an Ohio airport - Dayton, I think. I wanted this for a shed conversion (see my last post above) to suspend through an antique wood/steel pulley. I tossed the pendant fixture and used 14/2 armored cable for a rope effect, and also to carry the weight. The original bulb was halogen with a ballast, but it took a regular 150w bulb, std. socket. Both the top and bottom enclosures are fresnel glass, so you can't see the bulb.

I love this stuff! FYI... I buy at a salvage guy who is north of Nashville and much less expensive than in the city. https://www.docsarchitecturalsalvage.com

View attachment 145826 View attachment 145827

I love this look, and really admire the creativity. I have debated saying something about this lest I offend, but decided to risk it: Is that light fixture as heavy as it looks, as I assume it is made of glass? I'm not sure any armored cable is made to bear that kind of weight in tension, and am afraid that the conductors are carrying that weight, which is not a good situation. If you have cable that is made differently for this purpose or are bearing the weight some other way, then please forgive my intrusion. I just hate to let a situation go that I'm not sure is safe without mentioning it, but I am not trying to question your intelligence.

Take care,
Regan

 

[Bugguy]

I love this look, and really admire the creativity. I have debated saying something about this lest I offend, but decided to risk it: Is that light fixture as heavy as it looks, as I assume it is made of glass? I'm not sure any armored cable is made to bear that kind of weight in tension, and am afraid that the conductors are carrying that weight, which is not a good situation. If you have cable that is made differently for this purpose or are bearing the weight some other way, then please forgive my intrusion. I just hate to let a situation go that I'm not sure is safe without mentioning it, but I am not trying to question your intelligence.

Take care,
Regan

I appreciate the spirit of the comment. Thanks!

They are heavy, no doubt. Maybe 10 lbs? - I'm a poor judge.? I struggled with finding a cable that felt safe for the reason you suggest. The armored cable seemed the best answer, as its wrapped over on itself in the groove. All 200+ lbs of me swung on it - briefly. The armored part of the cable runs into a thin wall conduit connection that has a screw that clamps it tight about an inch above the end, I crimped the end so it wouldn't twist open. The connection screws into the top of the fixture with a short piece of steel pipe. The conductors are not carrying any weight, just tucked up inside the fixture.

It would have been much easier if I lived in a hardware store. I'm watching it. If it stays up till Spring, I figure I'm OK. Otherwise, I know where I can find 17 more.

 

[Bugguy]

I'm not sure any armored cable is made to bear that kind of weight in tension, and am afraid that the conductors are carrying that weight, which is not a good situation. If you have cable that is made differently for this purpose or are bearing the weight some other way, then please forgive my intrusion.

Take care,
Regan

Now I'm nervous. I'll need to reaffirm my confidence again the weekend. Thanks! (sarcastic)

 

[Woodtroll]

Now I'm nervous. I'll need to reaffirm my confidence again the weekend. Thanks! (sarcastic)

It sounds like you have tested it out and it should hold a 10-lb. fixture. It looks heavier than that! It is also reassuring that the conductors are not under strain inside the fixture, so you should be okay. It looks so cool, it would be a shame to change it!

Thanks for not taking offense at my question. I've worked in the fire service my whole life, with construction as a sideline (but NOT as an electrician), so I'm literally wired to take a critical look at things that are not standard practice (sorry for the bad pun!). I'd rather say something with hopes someone who knows more than I will take a closer look, than have someone get hurt or a building burn down.

Surely there is an electrician or two on the board, but I wouldn't know how to find them.

Take care!
Regan

 

[Bugguy]

I'd rather say something with hopes someone who knows more than I will take a closer look, than have someone get hurt or a building burn down.

Surely there is an electrician or two on the board, but I wouldn't know how to find them.

Take care!
Regan

GFI in-line in the shed. Like that insurance commercial when her "She Shed" is struck by lightening and burns down... not an image I want to experience.

 

[Woodtroll]

GFI in-line in the shed. Like that insurance commercial when her "She Shed" is struck by lightening and burns down... not an image I want to experience.