Light fixture style

[csnyder]

Before we started our kitchen renovation, most of the light was provided by one ceiling fixture. With the new layout (we removed a built-in bench that the POs installed in the 1990's and replaced it with countertops), we'd like to put an additional ceiling fixture in. We like the fixture that was there, so we'd like to find something that will complement it. Here's a picture of the fixture:



I'm not sure if it's original to the house; most of the other fixtures in the house are original, including some beautiful wall sconces and a ceiling fixture with iridescent glass shades. The center cap of this fixture has "Lightolier 6130" stamped on the inside. The wiring is quite brittle — I'll be replacing the sockets and wiring before it's reinstalled (the electricians removed it to run wire to the new fixture location, and refused to reinstall it when they saw the condition of the wiring).

The kitchen was originally split into two rooms: the original kitchen and a butler's pantry (complete with staircase directly to the maid's quarters). This fixture looks less decorative than other fixtures in the house, which would make sense, as the kitchen wasn't meant to be seen by guests.

Any suggestions on fixtures to complement it? Originally, I was hoping to find an identical fixture from a salvage or antiques source, but that seems unlikely; I'm also starting to think that a different fixture (in a similar style) would be more interesting, anyways.

Thanks!

[circuspeanut]

Here you go! There's one on eBay this week for $125:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Art-Deco-era-kitchen-or-bathroom-ceiling-light-fixture-by-Lightolier-/260959523568

If you run searches in both Collectibles and Antiques for "Lightolier", you may dig up more, or nicely compatible ones. Enjoy! I always love the hunt for new old lighting.

[csnyder]

Wow - thanks! It's mine, now. It looks identical to ours, except that the metal on ours is painted black. Not sure if I'm going to try to strip and re-chrome ours, paint the other one, or leave them both be — I'll plan on leaving them both be for a little while, at least. Thanks for your help!

[csnyder]

I've finished rewiring and installing both fixtures - they look really nice. I left the finishes of both alone, for now, but I'll likely get our original one re-chromed at some point to match the "new" one - the chrome helps it to really sparkle.

The "new" fixture is in the foreground:


"New" fixture turned on. Low-exposure photo to show the details in the glass and the pattern it throws on the ceiling (it gives off more light than this photo suggests):


Thanks for your help in locating this fixture!

[Don M]

Wow what luck to find a second original. They look terrific!

[Tom and Jada]

Very nice! Those aren't original to the house, but they still look nice. I would guess they are 1935-1940.

You were lucky to still have the original light fixtures in your house. We had none! We have had to get most of ours from a local salvage company (luckily they were reasonably priced).

[PowerMuffin]

I love those fixtures!!!! We had no original fixtures in our house. I did find a custard glass fixture that I love - probably a couple of decades younger than our house - I put it in the guest room. I found a 1950s reproduction of the custard glass fixture and put it in our old bath, but it isn't the same quality as the first one. You are really lucky to have those old fixtures and you are doing a great job on your house!
Diane

[csnyder]

Thanks! We are very fortunate to have a lot of the original (or close to it) fixtures in the house. There aren't any cheapo fixtures in the house that I can think of - though in a few bedrooms, there are just bare bulbs (all or nothing, I guess ) Sometime I need to go around and take pictures of all of the fixtures.

We're nearing the home stretch on the kitchen - tonight we meet with the contractor that's going to put in the backsplash tile and paint the kitchen and dining room (I will do painting myself one of these days, but this guy is a lot better than I am at it). For the backsplash, we're leaning toward subway tile with a glass mosaic accent strip. The subway tile has appealed to me from the beginning, as the two upstairs bathrooms have subway tile from the first time it was trendy, back in the early 1900's; since it's trendy again today, it seems like a great way to tie the new and old together. The glass mosaic will also bring to mind (in my mind, at least) a checkerboard-patterned accent tile that's in the master (originally servant's) bath.

[PowerMuffin]

Please post finished kitchen pics when you have time.
Diane

[eclecticcottage]

We have no original fixtures either. We have/had some retro ceiling fans (you know, the ones with the gold designs on the blades) and some cheap fixtures with plastic "brass" mounting on them. I wish we could find some of the nautical/ships wheel mid century ones cheap locally, they are all over $30 plus shipping on Ebay. We've got ceiling fans in the living room and bedroom, and I have an old porch light to rewire that will go over the sink (nautical "ship's light" style, seller thought it really was a ships light, I am pretty sure it's a porch light). It needs mega repair now though because it was shipped to us in a bubble envelope-still not sure how the glass managed to survive! I still have to figure out how to get it apart enough to replace the socket and get it rewired, as well as do some metal repairs...

Those are really cool! How lucky to find a near match like that.

I think subway tile has a classic appeal...not sure about the glass tile though, I think that's going to have a time/date stamp to it, so to speak (like avocado, harvest gold and orange in the kitchen). Although I absolutely love the look anyway, lol.