Posted 6 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
Today I went to re-fuel my car and decided to go to a charity shop and thrift store on the same road. Normally, I don't go to them, because they are usually over-priced and full of junk; but today I think I did really well. Though I don't normally spend so much on a single item (12 dollars!), when I saw this early 1900s cast iron chandelier with original fabric-wrapped wiring, I knew I had to buy it (because where else will you find one for 12 dollars?)
It was painted all white, but enough of it had deteriorated that, when I began cleaning it at home, I realised it had the colours of seafoam green, coral red, gold, and copper under the rust- and creamy-white paint. So, I carefully wire-brushed and sanded some of it off to see exactly what it looked like in the '20s.
So, this will probably be my next refinishing project. I have the right enamel paints to restore it to original, but I'll have to get some new sockets and order some new fabric-wrapped cord.
My mom has, for some time, wanted a chandelier in her bedroom. I was so glad when she seemed to fall in love with this one. ;)
The sockets are made by the J. Paulding Company. I found one reference to it in a 1916 document, another in 1922, another in 1931, another in 1947, another in 1961, and information saying they closed their doors in the 1980s. A source said they were making Bakelite sockets in the 1940s, so, since these are porcelain sockets, we can reasonably conclude they are pre-WW2. Because the sockets have white paint inside, and the cords have white paint on them, we can reasonably conclude that they. too, are original to the chandelier-- meaning that someone had this hanging for about 100 years! While I'd like to re-use the old sockets, I cannot get the wires out as they've been glued in.
This is truly a great find, I really love it.
Good job!!! Nice find. I hope you can restore it and please show us here. Beautiful
Not bad. I'd love to see it restored.
Brunswick, thank you.
dlpetersen, thank you.
clockerman, it's coming along slowly. Getting all the paint off is the hardest part.
Phonoboy, it will be nice when it's finished.